Combined Destinies
by Angel saiyan 22
Summary: ND5 Katie is earth's new protector, and it doesn't take long for that to be tested. A barrier between dimensions is severed, and all the Z gang have an evil counterpart, and these Darklings have decided that ruling one universe isn't enough!
1. Earthquake

**AS22: Hey! I'm back! Did U miss me? I missed U! SSorry for the wait…**

**Okay, a bit more serious, I've done a few cool things in this story. One is that I have written a Sayjin language, Saya-jin! Yipee! I'll translate as you go.**

**Example: **

_**D'rar ka da Jutir!**_

**(Damn you to hell!)**

**Get it? Ok, then let's go! R&R!**

**Combined Destinies**

**Part 5 of New Destiny**

**Prologue:**

**A lot of weird things have happened to me in my life. The time known as GT to me and my friends has passed, Goku is gone, and I am the new protector of earth.**

**When I first came to this dimension I was already swept into trouble. I didn't even get the chance to enjoy meeting my new friends before we fought a powerful enemy. I know I have enemies, and in a way I am my own enemy. My own doubts and fears are a weakness, but there's more to it than that.**

**I've also had many experiences with prophecy. Being part of one makes you think you know 'em all. Ha!**

**I've talked many times about parallel dimensions. Roxx destroyed many dimensions, but not all of them, thanks to me. The one I grew up in was what you would call 'normal'. The one I was born in, this dimension, is what I use to watch on TV as a kid. The creator of that show was actually receiving a radiation signal, or what psychologists may call subconscious messages, from this dimension, dreaming and imagining what was really happening to this dimension. When your mind wanders, it really wanders.**

**Just when I thought no more weirdness could happen, something happened. This time the Dragonballs were gone, so we were careful. We didn't have many causalities, but the ones that died were brought back thanks to Purunga, New Namek's dragon. Thank goodness we could use his power, even if it was just this once. We couldn't let another Shadow Dragon incident occur.**

**Well, I've said too much without giving the story, so I'll get started. And it started just a few months after the end of the Shadow Dragons…**

**Chapter 1: Earthquake**

**Codie and I were training in the Gravity Room at full strength; he was in his complete Naiad form, and I was SSJ4. We were even, we had been going at it for hours, and the gravity was at 1,000x. Our warm-up was almost through.**

**On an interesting side note, Vegeta and I both have our tails back. I'm not sure how, but I believe it had something to do with transforming to the SSJ4 level. Vegeta and Bulma agree with me as well.**

**"Codie, I know you're better than this! Let's kick it up a notch!"**

**"If you say so!" Codie stopped and powered up, going higher and higher. The room and the ground shook. I couldn't believe he was so strong. If he kept going he'd prove to be stronger than me. But strength isn't everything, experience can win the battle. Piccolo taught me that as a kid.**

**When Codie finished I was struck with recognition of Cell even more so. The more powerful Codie becomes, the more he looks like Cell it seems.**

**"Alright mom, give me _your_ best!" Codie challenged.**

**"Are you sure about that?" I asked, smirking.**

**I began to power up, so much so that the room shook. In fact, the computer in the room went crazy and the gravity shut down, leaving us at earth's normal gravity level.**

"**Mom…"**

**I kept powering up, and then I went too far. The wall behind me fell apart, thus causing the rest of the room to collapse.**

**Codie and I dug ourselves out of the debris, both of us back to normal. Bulma came running out, followed by Vegeta and Giru.**

"**What have you done!" Bulma cried out, screaming. Vegeta stood there, mouth agape.**

"**She did it!" Codie said, pointing to me. Then he ran inside, getting away from what we both guessed to be inevitable doom.**

_**Where's an evil monster or robot when I need one?**_

**Then, to my surprise, Vegeta started to laugh. Bulma and I both stared at him, confused.**

"**Well Katrin, you finally out did me! I'm not ashamed to admit it this time!" Vegeta was laughing so hard his face turned red.**

"**Giru scared of Vegeta's laughing! _Giru, giru._"**

"**How do I put up with you Sayjins?" Bulma said, shaking her head, "Oh well, those robots will fix it. It's a good idea I thought of it!"**

**Bulma headed back inside and Giru followed.**

"**Katrin, I don't know how you did it, but you must have grown stronger than me. Bulma made that room nearly indestructible. Once that room is fixed, I call 'dibs', as the humans say."**

**That got me laughing.**

"**Alright, Vegeta. I guess I have been training a lot lately. But I am earth's protector now."**

"**I know, and there isn't anyone alive more suitable for the job." Vegeta left at that note.**

_**Thanks, Vegeta. I know you'd be good at it, but you have a few faults, faults that I admire, but faults that hurt you during battle-**_

**Just then I felt the earth shake again, only this time I couldn't sense anyone powering up. It wasn't Ki causing the quake. Cars in the distance had their alarms going off, dogs were barking, birds were zipping around the sky like maniacs, the wind picked up, and then the sky darkened. This earthquake was stronger than my powering up a moment ago, but then again, the Gravity Room did contain most of my energy.**

"**What's going on?" I asked, falling on my butt. I landed on my tail and fell over from the shock to my body, cursing. And just as suddenly as it began, it ended. The sky went back to bright blue and the wind died down. Everything was calm again.**

"**Katie, are you alright?" Mirai called from the roof.**

"**Yeah, I just landed on my tail, that's all. How about you?"**

"**I'm okay, the house is another thing." He replied, shaking his head.**

"**Right, I'm coming." I called, standing. I headed inside and looked at the damage.**

**The walls were sturdy, but anything not nailed down had fallen over, and water was flooding the halls as I made my way from one side of Capsule Corp. to the other.**

**Our house was even worse. It looked like every single thing had been knocked over. I picked up a photo of Cell and me, the frame broken. I took out the picture and threw away the frame, moving on to the next mess.**

**Luckily I wasn't alone in my efforts. Mirai and Codie were there to clean as well. Giru even came in handy and fixed the back door.**

**I went down the hall to get a ladder when I saw Vegeta floating off the ground, trying to put in a new light bulb. He cursed in Saya-jin as the light bulb fell and broke on the ground.**

"**Vegeta, having problems?" I asked.**

"**Yes, I still can't figure out how why you earthlings insist on using artificial light anyway. I can't get this light bulb to screw in without breaking it."**

**I snorted trying not to laugh, but Vegeta caught me.**

"**What's so funny, Katrin?" he asked. I took out another light bulb from the box on the floor and screwed it in.**

"**There's a joke that goes, how many blondes does it take to screw in a light bulb? You can substitute blondes for something else."**

"**I don't get it." He said, dead serious.**

"**Yeah, I figured you wouldn't. Just remember, lefty-loosey, righty-tighty. That'll help you remember how to screw in light bulbs or whatever. And now, my prince, I think I'll go fix up my own house, if your need of me is completed."**

**He nodded, looking a bit ticked as I walked on down the hall for the ladder. It sort of dawned on me that I could just hover and not use a ladder, but I was already at the utility closet by the time I thought of it.**

**News went through the grapevine that everyone was okay. No one we knew had been hurt. In fact, no one anywhere had gotten hurt.**

"**Hey Mirai, I just discovered a new joke." I said when I came in.**

"**Oh yeah, what is it?"**

"**How many Sayjins does it take to screw in a light bulb?" I asked. Mirai shook his head, "Just the prince, but it takes him a while." I said. Mirai and Codie laughed. I explained to them what just happened in the hall.**

"**What was that, anyway?" Mirai asked.**

"**That earthquake was registered as only a 2.1. But didn't it feel… creepy?" Codie asked, glancing outside.**

"**Yeah, now that you mention it. It felt… creepy. That's the only word for it. Dark, too."**

"**_And I'm afraid that's only the beginning._" Mirai, Codie, and I all stopped to listen.**

"**Supreme Kai, is that you?" Codie asked.**

"**_Yes it is. Is everyone okay?_"**

"**Yeah, it appears everyone on earth is okay, actually." Mirai replied.**

"**_Well that's good. I need to speak to Katie though, in person._"**

**I looked to Codie and Mirai first, asking permission.**

"**We can finish up here." Mirai said, and Codie gave me a thumbs-up.**

"**I'll be right there." I told him, then I teleported to the Kai Planet.**


	2. Things as Usual

**Chapter 2: Things as Usual**

"**So what's up Supreme Kai?"**

"**Well Katie, you aren't going to be happy."**

"**Oh no… don't tell me-"**

"**Your title as earth's protector is about to be tested." Old Kai said, coming up to meet with us.**

"**Shit… Oh! Sorry!" I said, covering my mouth as I remembered where I was, "Me and my foul mouth apologize, Supreme Kai, Elder Kai."**

"**Dear girl, I'd swear too under these circumstances." Old Kai said.**

"**So… what is it? A monster? A robot?" I asked, remembering how I had thought the same thing moments ago.**

"**Technically its you and you're friends." Supreme Kai said.**

"…**What did you say?" I asked, shaking my head.**

"**You heard him right Katie." Old Kai said, letting out a deep sigh.**

"**Well, give me details." I looked behind Old Kai to see Suguro and his son playing.**

"**Well, Roxx left his mark in more ways than one. Of course you already know about that." Old Kai began, "His dimensional travel, along with the negative energy the Shadow Dragons left behind caused a… I guess you could call it a rift, between dimensions."**

"**And what does that have to do with us?" I asked.**

"**This rift is opening somewhere on earth. At first we saw no harm in it, but it's been growing stronger ever since. It'll open up completely very soon. That earthquake was only an aftershock of the rift pulsing." Old Kai continued.**

"**I'm guessing whatever is on the other side isn't all sunshine and daisies?" I asked, sighing.**

"**Right, it's a parallel dimension. It's the opposite of this dimension. Once it opens, whatever is on the other side can pass through to our side."**

"**But what _is_ in there, Supreme Kai?" I urged.**

"**We can't see what's in there, but we can sense it. You and all of your friends have an evil counterpart there. We Kais call them Darklings. No doubt they know about the rift already and they'll come here once it opens."**

"**Why would they do that?" I asked.**

"**Katie, don't be dumb. They're evil, and they have the same powers as you and your friends. They already conquered their universe, so they'll be coming to this one now." Old Kai said.**

"**Oh… and what about… what I mean is, did the people we fight, like Frieza, Cell, and Buu, join with them?"**

"**We cannot be certain, but we do know that the bad guys here would be the good guys there. The personalities of everyone are nearly the same, except for the ethics differences." Old Kai explained.**

**I didn't say anything for a moment, thinking it all out.**

"**So we have to stop them? And without the Dragonballs, we couldn't wish back anyone… or close the rift."**

"**We've decided, along with the Namekians, that once the fight is over you can restore earth's people. If you win, of course. But no more wishes after this. We can't afford another Shadow Dragon incident. The Dragonballs can't close the hole in the barrier." Supreme Kai said.**

"**I understand. What can you tell me about these evil counterparts?"**

"**We don't know how history progressed there to differ from here, but we do know that Frieza never conquered Planet Vegeta, and therefore all the Sayjins you know were raised as Sayjins. Even the half-Sayjin children."**

"**Okay." I said, understanding.**

"**Vegeta became king… Goku, well technically Kakorot, rules earth… what else?" Old Kai scratched his chin, thinking.**

"**What about me? And the villains we faced here?"**

"**We know nothing about your evil counterpart, I'm afraid. No idea if she even exists. And our dimension's villains were heroes there, but they were all killed as far as we know."**

"**Great. How long until it opens completely?"**

"**One year." Old Kai said.**

"**Right, one year to prepare."**

"**You must be careful. As far as we know, none of their Z Senshi has died, like Piccolo and Goku. And luckily, they don't have Dragonballs there."**

"**Why's that lucky?"**

"**They're like you, but evil. They would have wished for immortality if they had Dragonballs."**

"**Oh yeah. So what do we do?"**

"**What do you mean!" Supreme Kai asked, scared and shocked.**

"**Well, can we kill them if we have to? It won't hurt us to kill them, would it?" I asked.**

"**That's actually a very smart question, it's about time you started using your head. No, it won't hurt you to kill them." Old Kai said, "And I suggest you fight your own counterparts. It'll get confusing if, let's say, Vegeta tries to fight your counterpart and then he accidentally hurts you."**

"**Okay… but what if someone doesn't have a counterpart?"**

"**Then that person should fight the evil Goku or the evil Piccolo, or whoever else they might bring. I doubt they have a Mirai No Trunks."**

"**Yeah, makes sense." **

"**You have to act fast; just the existence of this rift is causing chaos." Supreme Kai said.**

"**How's that?" I asked. I was intrigued by all of this information.**

"**There are hundreds of dimensions in existence, but to obtain a balance these dimension have to have an equal, yet opposite, counterpart. These opposite dimensions were never supposed to be accessed through our dimension. Its like a wall was built, a barrier, but Roxx and the Shadow Dragons made a small hole in this barrier. If one person comes through that rift, the whole balance is threatened. If your counterparts aren't sent back quickly, the two universes will combine, and it will be the same as if matter and anti-matter met."**

"**Holy shit… it's my fault…"**

"**It isn't your fault, Roxx and Omega Shenron are to blame."**

"**But if it wasn't for me, Omega wouldn't have existed, and then Roxx-"**

"**Roxx would have destroyed this dimension as well. Not even he knew the damage he was causing. He threw the universe out of whack by destroying dimensions. Without those dimensions on our side of the wall, the ones on the other side were left unchecked, and eventually they collapsed onto themselves. If you hadn't stopped Roxx when you did, there really wouldn't have been anything left. Roxx weakened the barrier by destroying the dimensions, and the damage Omega caused on earth made it possible for the rift to open on earth."**

**I took in all this new information.**

_**So am I to blame? I did create Omega… but I was meant to kill Roxx… Roxx wasn't my fault…**_

"**Alright, I better inform everyone. We only have 365 days to prepare, and if I know me, my counterpart will train twice as hard, so I have to train that much harder. Then again, I guess there is a chance I won't be fighting my own counterpart, depending on how things went there."**

"**Go warn your friends. You all have to be prepared. I'm only guessing, but I think they'll only bring with them the strongest warriors they have."**

"**That would be…" I thought on it, counting how many we had, "…that, plus Goku and Piccolo for the evil side makes 7 in all. They wouldn't bring any humans…"**

"**And this is only 'if', remember that Katie. They could have many more warriors with them." Old Kai said.**

"**Right, I better go." **

**I went to teleport, but I got a shiver up my spine. It was like the SG.**

"**Elder Kai, what about animals?" I asked.**

"**How's that?"**

"**I dunno, I got a weird feeling. Like my SG. What if animals cross over through the barrier?"**

"**Well, technically, animals can't be good or evil… I guess it wouldn't matter… if a single bird flew through the barrier, how would we know about it to return it? I will meditate on this… if your Sensory Gift is acting up, we have to know."**

"**I'd say thanks, but with that news I'll wait to see if we win first."**


	3. Preparing for the Worse

**AS22: I'm trying something new… there's a bit of lemony goodness in this chapter near the end. I hate lemons, but I think it makes its point. It isn't too detailed… it's kind of embarrassing to write something like that. Anyway, R&R!**

**Chapter 3: Preparing for the Worse**

**I teleported to the Lookout and contacted the others to meet there. Once everyone got there, I explained the situation to them.**

"**Great! We just got done with an entire _saga_, now we have to face evil versions of ourselves?" Pan asked, stomping.**

"**It isn't that simple. We have to beat them, no doubt. The only problem is we don't know how many or who will come from there. I figured the best choices the evil counterparts would send would be their Vegeta, Goku, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Piccolo, and me. And that's a big 'if', guys. They may have more, and they may not. All I can to tell you is that they know about the vortex as well. They will be here in a year. We all need to train, just in case you're needed. But we're only going to fight our own counterparts when the time comes, unless someone doesn't have a counterpart. It'll keep the confusion down a level."**

"**I don't think it'll help that much. I'm getting too old for this." Krillen said, shaking his head.**

"**There is a good chance that you won't have to fight, Krillen. I'm guessing they won't bring any humans. No offense intended."**

"**Actually, I'm relieved."**

"**So am I." Tien said. I noticed how old our human friends looked. I was betting that time was the same in that dimension as well, so the humans there may be just as old. If not, then we may have a problem.**

So many 'ifs', and not enough answers… 

"**Mom, what about me?" Codie asked.**

"**Codie… I doubt you were born in that dimension. I doubt that the other Cell would sacrifice his soul for my counterpart."**

"**Oh… I see…" he sounded deflated.**

"**But we all need to be prepared." I said, getting back to the group.**

"**What about if one of us dies?" Goten asked. Everyone seemed interested in that idea. Or rather, scared of the idea.**

"**Old Kai said wishing to Purunga one last time wouldn't hurt, but after that we're on our own. We can't help that a tear in the fabric of reality is opening on our world, after all."**

"**If we only have one year, I suggest we get to work on our training." Vegeta said. I nodded and looked to everyone, looking ready for the chance to test out a new attack or a new transformation. I couldn't help it as a Vegeta-style smirk spread across my face.**

"**Training isn't the only thing." I said, looking at everyone, "I want you all to know that, even though we didn't always agree or fight together, even though we may not have ever fought together side-by-side… you guys are the best thing to ever happen to me. Now looking back… my only regret is not getting to know some of you better than I did."**

**No one said anything, but they didn't have to. Just the look they gave me told me they understood. I looked at everyone here, and in fact it was everyone… everyone but Goku and Piccolo.**

"**Alright, enough with the mushy stuff! I say we all train until the last month, then we can relax and do just as Katie said, get to know each other better." Trunks said.**

"**Alright! Party at my place in 11 months!" Bulma squealed.**

"**Right, and you better watch out Katie. After we save earth you may have more rivals." Gohan said, sticking out a 'V for victory'.**

"**Yeah, you too Vegeta." Goten said, winking.**

**We all laughed and then headed home.**

**That night I couldn't sleep, and it was snowing, so I couldn't go outside. I stared at the ceiling and tried to go to sleep, but I just couldn't.**

_**I wonder what my evil counterpart looks like… how strong is she? Does she have a tail too? Was she a potential? Does she have SSJ4?**_

"**Katie?" I rolled over to see Mirai looking at the ceiling as well, "I won't have an evil counterpart, will I?"**

"**Probably not. My guess is that their Cell and androids worked together and still lost. You would have been evil, so you wouldn't have anyone to warn."**

"**So who do I fight?" he asked, rolling over to look at me.**

"**With any luck, you won't have to fight. You'd be safe that way." I said.**

"**And what about you? Am I supposed to let you fight without me?"**

"**I may not have to fight either." I said. I reached over and kissed him.**

"**Katie-"**

"**Shut up and just kiss me, Mirai." I pulled him closer and started to kiss him harder. I rolled over on top of him, kissing him harder and moving down to his neck. I started kissing him on his chest, when he grabbed my arms and rolled over on top of me. We stopped.**

"**You may be on top during you battles, but not in the bedroom." He started to kiss my neck, and my tail wrapped around his bare leg.**

"**Mirai…"**

"**Tonight I win the bout, and I've only just begun…"**


	4. Practice Makes Perect

**Chapter 4: Practice Makes Perfect**

**(5 months after the earthquake, 7 months before the rift opens)**

**SSJ4 training was getting old. Only Vegeta could match me, but I knew better than to get a big head. I needed to expose myself to a variety of fighting techniques, so I went and sparred with Gohan and Goten.**

**Gohan went to his highest Mystic form and Goten went to SSJ. I only powered up to SSJ as we began.**

"**You seriously think you can take us on without powering to you limits?" Goten asked.**

"**I have to try. I need more experience. My powers don't seem to want to go much higher without nearly killing myself."**

"**Yeah, I'd imagine spending days in the rehab tanks get dull after a while." Gohan said, taking a stance. Goten copied.**

"**It'd be better if I had a book to read."**

**All at once they charged me, and Goten disappeared. Gohan started up a Kamehameha and I couldn't find Goten. I figured they were both going to hit me, so I teleported behind Gohan.**

**I went to hit Gohan with an axe-hit, but then I was hit from the side with a different Kamehameha Wave. Once I deflected the attack, I saw Goten, arms still out from his attack.**

"**You knew what I was going to do. How?" I asked.**

"**You always twitch your tail before you teleport." Gohan said.**

"**Thanks for the info!" then we got going again.**

**We were high up, in the sky. When you're fighting this high up, you don't have the simple, nearly 2-D perspective of fighting, you can go above or below your opponent as well.**

**Goten and Gohan did well at first, but then I caught on to their tactics. They worked together without speaking, they knew what to do, so I fixed that.**

**Gohan and Goten got in front of me, coming right at me. I put my plan into action.**

"**Solar Flare!" I cried, blinding them both.**

"**Hey, that was a dirty trick!" Goten cried, holding his eyes.**

"**You think your counterparts won't try something just as bad?"**

**I flew right behind Gohan and grabbed his shirt, just enough to teleport. He never even knew I had moved him.**

**Gohan and Goten started to open their eyes, but I knew they still couldn't see very well.**

"**Hey guys! I'm about to attack!" I cried. They both started to power up Kamehameha Waves aimed right at me.**

**They fired, but I couldn't move yet.**

Wait… wait for it… 

**I had moved Gohan so that he was facing Goten, and I was right between them. The attacks were coming at me, but at one another as well.**

**My time came, and I dodged. They started to push against each other, not yet realizing that it wasn't me they were attacking.**

**Both attacks seemed to fade. I looked up at them as the light faded. They both were surprised to see who was on the other end of their blasts.**

**They both looked down at me.**

"**Katie!" they cried. I couldn't help but laugh.**

"**Boy did I get you two good or what?"**

"**We'll have to fix that." Gohan said. He went to power up, surpassing his form.**

"**What is that!" I cried, backing up.**

"**Gohan's been training a lot for the past five months. This is what came from that hard work." Goten yelled to me.**

**Gohan's hair became golden-white, and his eyes became more green than blue as he transformed. His aura was flashing like lightning, and when he was finished I was speechless.**

"**Katie, meet the first appearance of the Mystic Super Sayjin form. If I had this before, Omega Shenron would have wet himself."**

**I laughed. He had power, but he was also acting arrogant.**

"**Gohan, you sound like Vegeta. Very well then, if you want to play rough, we'll play rough!"**

**I made the jump to SSJ4 easily and began to fight with Gohan one-on-one. I was excited, he was actually stronger than me. We'd both get stronger fighting at these levels, and that was always a good thing.**

**After a few weeks Gohan and I became equal. Once again I faced my problem with sparring. I had surpassed Vegeta and I was equal with Gohan, and I had fought with these two so much that our fights began to make me think of reruns. I already knew what was going to happen, and it was the same with both of them. In a way that was good because I knew what the counterparts would try.**

**I was running out of ideas about training, so I went to the basics. I started training with Shikara, my sword. If I had a sword, I guessed my counterpart would have a sword as well.**

**Then after that I even pushed further back. I went back as far as a Sayjin could go. I went to an empty, deserted area, with supervision from Vegeta, and used the imitation moon to transform into an Oozaru.**

**You probably don't get why I'd do that. Its simple really, before you can know your enemy, you have to know yourself. And in this case, my enemy was myself. I had to get grips on my Oozaru form and tame it, as Vegeta had done in the past, and as I had done in the past. The better control I had over my most savage, wild part, the better warrior I could become. **

**On this particular summer day it was hot. I didn't mind it too much though, because as I had learned, Planet Vegeta got warmer than this in autumn. That's how planets are that have a Red Giant sun in their system.**

"**Katrin, I still don't see why you're so obsessed with taming your Oozaru form. Even once you come out of the form you won't remember what you did." Vegeta said.**

"**But that's just it, Vegeta. Bardock claimed he could remember, and I'm related to him. I remember too. I might be able to figure this out, I just need practice. I'm full of surprises."**

"**Don't I know that?" Vegeta said.**

"**Over there." I said, landing.**

**We landed on the soft sand, and thank goodness for Sayjin armor. I could keep on clothes as I transformed instead of having to bring extra clothing.**

"**Are you ready to try again?" Vegeta asked. This was the third time this week we had gone out.**

"**What do you think?" I asked, crossing my arms.**

"**You remind me of myself in my younger days." Vegeta said, smirking.**

"**Is that a compliment or an insult?" I asked. He threw the simulation into the sky. He had his tail now, too, but he took cover. He was out here to make sure nobody got hurt if I went crazy.**

Alright, here we go… 

**Before I looked at the light, I thought of something to keep myself focused. An idea of mine, to be focused as a Sayjin and keep that train of thought as I changed. It hadn't worked so far, but maybe it would this time.**

**I looked at the light, and my mind started to go fuzzy. I kept a mental image of myself, thinking humanely, to keep focus. Right now it was working.**

I am Katie… Katrin… a Sayjin… an Oozaru… 

**I slipped.**

**Rage. Undeniable, unlocked fury coursed through my veins. My soul burned with anger, my heart rate increased as thoughts of violence ran through my mind. I wanted to unleash the fury, and my body obliged.**

**My body began to change more now, faster and faster. I sensed it all. I could see it all.**

**I shot up into the air, ten feet, twenty feet, sixty feet. My arms shot out, seemingly miles away from my body. Coarse, thick hair grew, itching. My face elongated and my eyes grew, changing shape. The transformation hurt, but not a lot. I could feel things grown, and some things disappear.**

**My arms were as big as buses, my tail could wrap around a whale. I let out a roar, and the nearest cliff was shattered.**

"**_Hey, stop that!_" I said. Then I noticed that _I_ said _that_ to _myself_. I was watching myself go nuts from inside my own mind.**

"**Katrin, stop it! Keep this up and there won't be an earth to defend!"**

**I couldn't see Vegeta, but I heard him. The Oozaru didn't, though. I could only see what my eyes could see, but I could still hear without restraint.**

"**_Vegeta, stop me!_"**

"**Katrin?" he heard me.**

"**_Vegeta, I can't control it!_"**

"**Concentrate, Katrin! I know you can do it!"**

"**_It's like I'm watching a movie!_"**

**My body was blowing things up, smashing rock walls and throwing dust everywhere. I could only watch.**

_**I have to concentrate. My idea was a good one, but it separated my mind and body. I have to tame my animalistic side.**_

"**_Hey! Stop that!_" my body seemed to stop, but I didn't know if it was me or Vegeta's scent.**

"**Now Katrin! While you stopped!"**

_**What do I do?**_

**I reached out, and my hand moved. I lifted my other arm, and my body responded. I turned to look, and my head moved.**

"**_Vegeta, I got it! I got total control!_" I said, looking at him.**

"**Total control huh? Well, if Bardock could do it, so could you."**

**I decided to give myself a test, so I moved around more and jumped into the air. I looked down at Vegeta, who fell over due to the tremors of my jump. He was smirking. He was proud of me and for me. That in turn made me proud.**

**Vegeta destroyed the false moon and I reverted to normal. I hit my knees and took in some much needed air. Vegeta walked over and helped me up to my feet.**

"**Imagine the power if I had powered up first." I said, smirking at Vegeta. His response was an expected one.**

"**That's enough from you today," he smirked, "I call 'dibs' on the gravity room."**


	5. One Last Party

**Chapter 5: One Last Party**

**(11 months after the earthquake, 1 month before the rift opens)**

"**Let's get the party started!" Pan cried, running over to the stereo and turning it up. But the music was short lived, ended quickly by a blast sent by our favorite Sayjin Prince, Vegeta.**

"**Thanks Vegeta." I said, uncovering my ears.**

"**My pleasure." He replied, walking over to a shaded tree to lean on.**

"**What he'd do that for? That was _my_ stereo!" Pan cried.**

"**Here-" I whipped out a wad of Zennie bills, "Buy a new one. Sorry Vegeta blew it up, but it was way too loud for the two of us."**

"**Wow, look at the money… Huh? How's that?"**

"**Sayjins have very sensitive hearing. That was way too loud."**

"**Oh, sorry. But he could have just turned it down." Pan whined.**

"**That's my dad for you." Trunks said, bringing her a plate of food.**

"**Oh wow, thanks Trunksipooh!" Pan said.**

"**Pan!" Trunks blushed, then looked at me. I was the only one near enough to have heard him.**

"**Oh please, Trunks. I've known about you two since my 30th anniversary party. Just marry her already! I know you've Bonded."**

"**Katie!" Trunks and Pan blushed, angry. I laughed at them, still acting so young. They were in their 30's now, but they acted like teens.**

**I went on to the buffet table before Vegeta could. I knew his appetite was as big as his ego, so if I didn't get food now, I may not get food later.**

**I carried my plate to the first empty spot I found, a seat next to Chi-chi. She was all alone at one of the tables. I decided to let my four boys (Mirai, Codie, Kanji, and Vegeta) across the yard talk and so I sat by Chi-chi. We hadn't seen each other since Goku left.**

"**Hey Chi-chi, want some company?" she looked up and smiled.**

"**Sure, haven't seen you lately."**

"**Yeah, quite a shame since… you only live across… the complex." I said, stuffing food into my mouth. At least I didn't shovel it in like Goku.**

"**Have you been training hard?" she asked.**

"**What do you think?" I asked, smiling.**

"**How can you smile?" she asked, her face dropping. That made me stop eating so we could talk a little more in depth.**

"**There are many reasons. First one I can think of is the fight coming up. It'll be a real challenge fighting myself."**

"**Only you Sayjins think doom is fun." Chi-chi said.**

"**I don't think of doom as fun, none of us do. It's… its hard to explain unless you're a Sayjin."**

"**Try me." Chi-chi challenged.**

"**It's the thrill of the fight. The challenge, pushing yourself to your limits. Even the pain, in a way, feels so good because you realize you have a challenge. The rush of energy, the power… it all combines into a great feeling."**

"**Goku tried to say that once, but you're better with your wording."**

"**Piccolo said the same thing before…" I couldn't say it. Just thinking of Goku and Piccolo made me lose my appetite.**

"**I know you and Gohan cared for Piccolo, but I still can't figure out how or why." Chi-chi said.**

"**I don't either, to tell you the truth. He was the first person to push me to my limits. He didn't care that I was a kid. If it wasn't for him I would have been killed by Vegeta." I glanced over at Vegeta, still standing under the tree. He was eyeing the table, picking out exactly what he wanted to eat before he got to the table. Even at dinner he was a warrior, examining the situation before going in. I smiled at him.**

"**You seem to like the mean ones for some reason. Even Cell." Chi-chi said, catching my attention.**

"**At least I'm lucky enough to know that they like me back. If you can understand why they're mean, then you realize they have emotions just like anyone else, they just show it differently."**

"**Now you've lost me." Chi-chi said. I laughed.**

"**Vegeta was raised that way. His life was hard after Frieza took him away from his home. Piccolo grew up all alone, and hate for humanity was inherited from his father. Cell was programmed evil and to destroy Goku. After he achieved his objective, he went on to destroy earth. I think that's because I hurt him. I broke his heart."**

"**I bet there isn't a day that goes by that you don't think of all of those guys, is there?" Chi-chi asked.**

"**Never."**

**Chi-chi was right. I think of Goku, Piccolo, 17, and Cell everyday. They were my friends. No, they were more than that.**

**Goku was like my big brother. He looked out for me and taught me all he knew. He saved my life many times, and I tried to repay him, but that was harder said than done. When I became Majin, I wanted him dead. Not just because of the fact that I knew he'd stop Buu, and then that would bring the Darkness back, but the fact that he was always stronger than me. Even when I had the Angel powers he was stronger, somehow. I might have beaten Roxx, and Goku might have broken from the tortures Roxx gave him, but still, he was stronger than me.**

**Whereas Goku was like my big brother, Piccolo was like my father. Piccolo took me for training when he took Gohan. He taught Gohan and me everything he knew. But in some ways he still could have taught me more. It was the two of us that changed Piccolo from an evil tyrant to a great ally. He never took it easy on me. Though sometimes he did hold back his full power when we sparred. We worked together in perfect unison, and he restored my faith that I could go home after the incident with Garlic Jr. If only I had known then what I know now. But then again, I already knew more than most people.**

**If Piccolo was my dad, and Goku my older brother, then 17 would be a younger brother. Boy, my family is screwy, and you think you have problems? 17 was an enemy for years. Only after blackmailing me did we become friends. I was his teacher, but he taught me something as well. He showed me how everyone has a weakness. Even powerful warriors can fall to weakness. His happened to be his mechanical side; mine… there's too many to put down. I think knowing I have so many weaknesses is a weakness in itself.**

**Cell was my best friend. Actually, he was more than that. He'd be more like my twin in some ways. He sacrificed his soul to save me. I'm thankful I didn't completely lose him, though. Codie was just like Cell in good ways. I have no doubt that if it wasn't for Mirai, my true love, I would have ended up with Cell. A Sayjin and a bug, the ultimate underdog love story.**

**Mirai was great about all of this stuff with Cell. I love Mirai, I have since I first saw him on the show. Even then I knew he was Vegeta's son, just watching the way he fought and the way he talked. I guessed he was Bulma's son because his hair was the same color as her dad's, but I was surprised just the same.**

**Vegeta is, of course, my hero. He always was. The very first episode of DBZ I saw was when he lost to Zarbon. I had no idea who he was or why they were fighting, but I liked Vegeta from the start. He's trained me, he's battled me, and through it all, I still liked him, even when he was close to killing me.**

**All of these guys mean a lot to me. And right now we're getting better aquatinted. Tien and Choazu, Yamcha and Puar, Krillen, 18, and Marron, Chi-chi, Goten, Gohan, Videl, and Pan, Trunks, Vegeta, Bulma, Giru, Buu, Hercule, Mirai No Trunks, Codie, Kanji, Andy, Goku, Piccolo, and me. Our lives have one thing in common, we love earth and would die to defend it. Cell and 17 might not be so bold in saying they love earth, but I know they'd fight too.**


	6. Beyond the Looking Glass

**AS22: I'm really disappointed… only 2 reviews, but over 60 hits? That's a… 1/30… carry the 4… 3! Come on, I mean it! Review! If you really want New Destiny to continue, I need at least 1 review per chapter from now on!**

**Thanks Spirit warrior 22 and Thomas Drovin for their reviews…**

**Chapter 6: Beyond the Looking Glass**

**The big day was here, and it was signaled with another, larger earthquake. But we knew cleaning could wait because earth might not be here in a few hours. An even scarier thought, a few _minutes_.**

**Vegeta was in his classic blue spandex, Mirai in a black muscle shirt with his sword, Gohan in his orange Gi, Goten in normal clothes, Trunks in his cowboyish outfit (You might recall from GT), Codie in his green Gi, and then there was me. I was dressed in a red tank with my leather accessories, just like when I faced Roxx. We all met up because we felt the dark Ki dead ahead.**

"**Anybody know where to go?" Goten asked.**

"**No, but if we go that way we might get close." I said, pointing northwest.**

"**How can you be sure?" Trunks asked.**

"**Look." I pointed, and when they all turned they understood. Animals were running or flying away from that direction.**

"**Oh."**

**We flew that direction, and the entire time I thought I felt… myself. It was weird, but it felt like I was headed right at my own Ki. But at the same time it didn't feel normal.**

**I looked at the others. They all looked serious, deep in thought.**

"**You feel it too?" I asked. They all nodded, "Yeah."**

**We were getting closer, the sky was getting dark and it was charged with electricity. It wasn't going to be long now.**

"**Mom… do you feel that?"**

"**What is it, Codie?" I asked, slowing down so we were next to each other. He looked scared, I couldn't blame him.**

"**I feel something… someone… could it be my own counterpart?" he asked. I concentrated to feel who or what he felt.**

"**God… it feels so familiar." I said, "I don't know, Codie."**

**We were there. The sky all around was black, and there was a huge hole in the sky, pulsing purple and red.**

"**And that, my friends, is a hole in the fabric of reality." Trunks said when we landed.**

"**Yeah, and I calculated the hole will close in a few minutes unless something comes through the portal." I said, looking at the hole in awe.**

"**Then how long we will have until it closes?" Vegeta asked.**

"**It won't unless everything goes back."**

"**Typical." Vegeta said, shaking his head.**

**Then all of a sudden several dark Ki's came through the portal. They all landed in front of us. It was them, and they were strong.**

**We lined up in front of the Darklings, looking at them. It was like looking into a mirror, only the mirror had a dark film over the glass.**

**Vegeta's double had his tail and a beard, dressed in black royal armor. Their Goku was also dressed in armor, and he had his tail. The evil Gohan, Goten, and Trunks had red streaks in their hair, though their Trunks still had the lavender coloring. Piccolo's counterpart wasn't our Piccolo, but the evil King Piccolo. I guessed that the evil Goku never had to kill him.**

**Then there was my counterpart. She looked just like me, of course, but there was something so wrong. First, she was about 3 years older. That made sense, I was supposed to be older, but the dimensional crossings as a baby made me younger somehow. Space-time continuum calculations and other technical stuff. She looked… she looked like Katherine the Slaughterer. Her hair was really long and a mess, whereas I had my short like you'd traditionally see a female Sayjin. She also had a sword. They all had Scouters and black Sayjin armor. All the Sayjins, even the half-human hybrids had tails.**

"**_Yhe ka uun da tregs?_" my counterpart said.**

**(Who are you bakas?)**

"**What?" I looked over at Vegeta.**

"**It's Saya-jin, our native language. She's fluent, unlike you Katrin."**

"**Hey! I know it… sort of." I said, embarrassed.**

"**_Yhe ka uun_!" my counterpart shouted. She was angry.**

**(Who are you!)**

"**Vegeta, what did she say?"**

"**She's asking who we are." Vegeta turned to her, "_Wi uun Sayjins. Me ta Vegeta-augr_." **

**(We are Sayjins. I am Prince Vegeta.)**

"**_Iz las earth_?" she asked.**

**(Is this earth?)**

"**What she'd say?" I asked again.**

"**She wants to know where we are." he turned back to her again, "_Earth. Yhat tuk oply Tiom gha uun ka_?"**

**(What level of SSJ are you?)**

"**_Wi'un Tiom gha ore-_" my counter part started.**

**(We are SSJ4-)**

"**They can reach Super Sayjin four."**

"**_-Me ta lae amfel._" My counterpart smirked. Vegeta stepped back, gasped at what she said. I did too.**

**(I am the Angel.)**

She didn't just say what I think she said, did she? 

"**Vegeta? Please tell me that word isn't what I think it was."**

"**She has the Angel power." He replied.**

"**What? … Vegeta, ask her if she can speak our language."**

"**_Ikdy ka la'gul Earth English?_"**

**(Can you speak earth English?)**

"**Yeah, we can speak earthling." My counterpart said, "I'm Empress Katrin, but I guess you know that, right?"**

"**Empress, huh? So you rule over the entire universe then?" I asked.**

"**Of course. So, you are our good counterparts? Pathetic." Empress Katrin said.**

"**You'll eat those words." Vegeta said.**

"**I doubt it." Dark Vegeta said.**

"**Who's that?" my double asked, pointing to Mirai and Codie.**

"**My husband and son." I said.**

"**You married and had a kid?" she laughed.**

"**How about we swap stories before us fight?" I suggested.**

"**No swapping needed, I can tell you everything about us, and you tell everything about your allies. Deal?" Dark Katrin asked.**

"**Fine, I'll go first." I said, stepping up.**

**So I explained it, plain and simple. They seemed confused that their doubles were so good. I conveniently left out the Dragonballs, just as Old Kai suggested.**

"**I see. Well then, my turn." Dark Katrin began, "Our Vegeta became king of planet Vegeta. Kakorot then set out and conquered earth. When I was older I was granted the Angel power."**

"**What? How could you have done that?" I asked.**

"**Simple, we're opposites, but equal, so therefore I got the Angel powers as well. Of course, I kept mine, unlike you. I conquered the universe. I gave earth to Kakorot and Raditz, and our home planet to King Vegeta. They earned it. When 17 and 18 came, they teamed up with my mate to kill us. I have no idea about this Buu creature or the others, but we have reached Super Sayjin four."**

"**So where is this mate of yours?"**

"**Oh, he's coming. He won't be able to help much, but he wanted to watch. I spoil him too much, but then again, my first mate means the most to me." she grinned, and started to tease King Vegeta by wrapping her tail around his neck and shoulders.**

"**Your _first_ mate? You mean…?"**

"**I _am_ the most powerful being in our universe. Why only settle with one mate when I can have hundreds?" she wrapped her arm around Dark Vegeta, "My first mate and I Bonded, but I didn't Bond to any others."**

"**I see." I was disgusted, but we had to get started before the hole opened any further, "Well then, shall we?" I asked, getting into my stance.**

"**Do you mind if we wait for my mate first? He'd hate to see that the fun began without him."**

"**Fine. It'll give us a chance to catch up." I said, looking at my friends. We lined up in front of our own doubles. Codie took Dark Kakorot, and Mirai took King Piccolo.**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Gohan and his double just stared at one another. They looked so similar, and if it weren't for the armor and tail he would have thought it was only a mirror.**

"**So, I take it Kakorot and a human named Chi-chi are your parents?" Gohan asked.**

"**Yeah, as a matter of fact. How about your family? A human wife and a daughter?"**

"**Yes, Videl and Pan." Gohan replied.**

"**And I bet you use to be a superhero as a teen?" Dark Gohan laughed, "Those were the days."**

"**You actually fought as a superhero?" Gohan asked, skeptical.**

"**No, as a super villain. Duh? Do you have some sort of special form? A form different than Super Sayjin, I mean." Dark Gohan asked, smirking.**

_**This guy isn't exactly a genius… but I can sense he has a lot of power.**_

"**Yes, I do." Gohan replied, a little shocked now.**

"**Great."**

"**Hey, who taught you to fight?" Gohan asked, glancing at Dark Piccolo.**

"**My father, grandfather, and uncle. Why? Who trained you?"**

"**This dimension's Piccolo."**

**Both Goten and his double heard the earlier remark about their parents. Dark Goten didn't look like he was too sure of himself, and that made Goten a little more confidant.**

"**I guess you've always had your father with you?" Goten asked.**

"**Yeah, whenever he's home, that is. He does go off to keep order sometimes." Dark Goten replied.**

"**You're lucky, I didn't meet my dad until I was 6 years old."**

"**At least he didn't beat you during those first years. My father thought that was the best way to train Gohan and me. My cousin Katrin, I mean Empress Katrin, put a stop to that."**

**Goten noted that his voice broke while he was speaking. He liked his cousin and could tell they were close. Goten remembered how Katie could tell it was Bebi and not himself that attacked her, she knew him that well.**

**Vegeta thought that his double looked exactly like his father. The way he stood, arms crossed and feet apart, and even the cape blowing in the breeze reminded him of his father. He even had the beard.**

"**So, what happened to you?" Dark Vegeta asked.**

"**Planet Vegeta was destroyed a long time ago by Frieza. Eventually I came here and had a family. That includes Katrin now."**

"**Frieza? He was powerful in this dimension, I take it? I see. She is quite beautiful." He glanced over at Katie, "Is your mate a human named Bulma?"**

"**Yes, she is. We have a son and a daughter."**

"**We had only the one son. She died in childbirth. Good thing I have Empress Katrin around when I start to feel lonely." He smirked, looking at Katie and Dark Katrin with lust in his eyes.**

"**You're a bastard." Vegeta said.**

**Trunks looked at Dark Trunks in confusion. Dark Trunks held himself in such a strange manner. He was brimming with confidence, even his smile looked dark.**

"**What are you looking at, weakling?" Dark Trunks demanded.**

"**I heard what our fathers were saying. I was wondering how you lived all this time without you mother."**

"**I never knew her. Besides, Empress Katrin is like a mother to me. She even taught Goten and me how to fuse."**

"**So you can fuse as well. How did she learn it?"**

"**She rules the universe, you runt! She has access to endless amounts of information!"**

"**I see. In that case, Goten and I will have to fuse and fight against your Gotenks then."**

"**Gotenks, huh? Our fusion is called Truten."**

"**So who are you suppose to be, runt?" Dark Piccolo asked.**

**_Why does that nickname stick so well?_ Mirai wondered.**

"**I'm Katie's husband. Your dimension doesn't have me in it, but I'm Trunks from the future. I went back in time to try to stop the androids and save Goku."**

"**Stop the androids, huh? And Goku is…?"**

"**Kakorot. He was raised human on earth in an accident."**

"**Oh, well then, where is he?"**

"**He's gone now. He gave his life, like Katie said."**

"**Okay, then where am I?" Dark Piccolo asked.**

"**Well, Goku killed you when he was a kid, but before you died you had one more kid. He took your name and rivaled Goku for years. Our Piccolo was a great ally… he gave his life to save earth." Mirai was careful not to mention the Dragonballs, as were everyone else. One slip and there could be disaster.**

"**A son of mine became friends with my murderer? What a weakling."**

**Dark Kakorot noticed how Codie's hair and eyes were familiar. He had no idea who this kid was, but his mother was Katie.**

"**So kid, whose you dad?" Dark Kakorot asked.**

"**Well… I sorta don't have a dad."**

"**Everyone's got a dad." Dark Kakorot didn't like the way Codie responded.**

**Codie didn't want to talk about his dad issues, especially to the enemy. But he figured Dark Kakorot would only poke more at the subject.**

"**My mother is Katie, but my father is… it's complicated."**

"**Well, get on with it!"**

"**He's… I'm Cell's reincarnate. I was born from his soul and my mother's body."**

"**Well, damn kid! If you ain't mixed up!" Dark Kakorot laughed.**

"**Well that still makes us cousins, doesn't it? Aren't you Katrin's cousin?" Codie asked.**

"**That's Empress Katrin, and yes, we are cousins. I'm going to guess that Katie is a human name given to your Katrin? And that makes me Goku?"**

"**Yeah, it does. But you're nothing like him."**

**1st P.O.V.**

**Both my evil counterpart and I had listened to everyone else's conversations. When we went back to facing each other, I almost got the shivers. Her eyes were so empty and so black. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and if it were true, then she was as evil as Roxx, Drazark, and 'insert your own favorite evil person here'.**

"**It sounds like you're close to your family." I said.**

"**They are all I ever had for a long time."**

"**I know the feeling." I said, looking back at my own family, "We don't have to fight. You and your family can go back to your world and we'll never see each other again."**

**Her body shook with laughter. She threw her head back as she laughed loud enough to catch everyone's attention.**

"**You really are my opposite. I had the most brilliant, most ingenious scientists working for me. In mere hours, if we don't go back through that portal, it'll start to grow larger and larger, combining our two dimensions. Then I can rule over this dimension as well."**

"**No, it'll destroy the dimensions, all of them. You'll have to beat me first." I said, pushing my back leg deeper into the dirt, preparing to fight.**

"**Oh I will… or did you forget already? I have the Angel power! You can't stop me."**

"**I've defeated someone who stole my Angel Power before, and I could do it again."**

"**I didn't steal it!" she laughed again, "Its mine, just like it was yours! If the power is stolen it weakens! Didn't you know anything about your own Angel powers?"**

"**No, nobody told me about it. I learned all I could on my own. I just got it to defeat a powerful enemy, an enemy that is partially responsible for the rift, and when the time came I gave the power back."**

"**No wonder you gave it back. You could have done whatever you liked with it! You could have had real power, like me!"**

**The rift turned bright red as another dark shape came through. His energy felt so familiar, but I couldn't figure out who he was.**

"**Oh, here comes my mate. Now we can finally start our fight." Empress Katrin said, waving her tail back and forth with a snap at each side.**

"**Mom…" Codie was looking at the form in awe. It started to take shape.**

**He was tall, about a head taller than I was, and as he proceeded to land I saw a tail wave behind him. He was bulky and as the color came to view, he was green with black spots.**

"**Oh by Kami, it can't be…?" I said, dumbstruck. My mouth was agape, and I knew I must have looked foolish, but under the circumstances I think you'd be dumbstruck as well.**

"**Father?" Codie gasped.**


	7. Z vs Z

**Chapter 7: Z vs. Z**

"**Hello, Cell. It's about time you got here." Katrin said, grabbing Cell around the shoulders and pulling him into a deep kiss. They intertwined their tails as they kissed.**

**I was shocked, right down to the core. My knees gave out on me and I fell to the dirt, standing on my knees as I stared at Cell.**

_**I thought I lost him… I didn't think he'd still be alive in that dimension… but it's opposite, right?**_

**When they pulled apart Dark Katrin looked right at me. I stood up, brushed off my knees and acted like nothing happened.**

"**Nothing like a good kiss from your mate." Katrin said, licking her lips.**

**I looked at Codie and Mirai. They were both in shock. To tell the truth, I was still in shock.**

"**Glad you could join us, Emperor." King Vegeta stated. Cell nodded to him and then looked at us.**

"**Who is that?" Dark Cell ignored everyone but Codie. I noticed that Dark Cell's eyes weren't pink, they were red.**

"**I'm… I'm…" I walked over and put my hands on Codie's shoulders, trying to steady him. In fact, I was also trying to steady myself.**

"**Cell, this is Codie Allen Briefs. In this dimension, you sacrificed your soul to save my life. He's our son, a reincarnation of your good side."**

"**He's more than that…" Cell walked up to him and looked him in the eyes. Codie leaned back, unnerved by the invasion of personal space, as Cell leaned in closer.**

"**I'm more?" Codie was mumbling, and I could feel him shaking in fear and in anxiety.**

"**You are not just my son in this dimension, you are me. I am you. We are the same." Dark Cell's tone and his motions made me nervous.**

"**We are the same…" Codie's eyes flashed red. I knew that wasn't good. Not thinking, I kicked Dark Cell away, and he landed on his butt.**

"**Codie, are you okay?" I moved around and turned so I was facing him. Codie shook his head, clearing it.**

"**Mom, what was that?"**

"**I don't know, but don't listen to him. He isn't your father, he's evil."**

"**How dare you strike down my mate!" Empress Katrin fired a Ki blast at me, hitting me and throwing me to the ground. Chaos ensued as everyone started to fight. Dark Cell got up and got out of the way. I could tell by his power level that he wasn't as strong as our Cell and, in fact, he was just barely stronger than a Super Sayjin.**

**Empress Katrin just stood and watched our families fight. She was smirking, proud of the efforts.**

**Vegeta and Dark Vegeta were both at SSJ level already, neither holding back. In fact, most of the fighters were transformed. Dark Piccolo was, of course, the exception.**

"**Why are you making them fight? It's like fighting your own twin!" I snapped.**

"**They'll do anything for me because I have done so much for them. I learned the hard way that if you want something, you take it. I want more power, so I'm going to take your universe now."**

"**I know you're better than this!" I said, getting to my feet since her blast earlier, "I heard what your Goten said, about Kakorot beating him and his brother. Why did you stop it?"**

"**No one deserves to be treated that way, especially not a kid." she said, her voice low and unsteady, "I bet your life was normal, perfect even." She sounded cold, and she growled at me, "But my life wasn't. When I was young I was sent to a planet to conquer, as most Sayjin children are. But my ship crash-landed on an unmarked planet. I had no idea where I was. When I finally found civilization, it turned into a nightmare." She laughed, crazy and shaking, "The people weren't anything like me, so I couldn't try to blend in. they didn't have a moon, either, and I was too young to have been taught the simulated full moon technique. I was taken to the castle, and the king liked me. His name was Lios, a name I'll never forget. He liked me a little too well. I was his slave for years, his slave in every aspect of the word. But I always fought back. He was too strong for me… he'd punish me for trying to attack him… every night for years…" her voice was shaking as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders, "this all started when I was 5 earth-years-old. By the time I was finally strong enough to kill him I was 15 years old."**

"**By the Kais…"**

"**It's too late for your useless pity!" she snapped, "When I arrived back to Planet Vegeta, my parents had died. It was my uncle Bardock who took me in. I had been gone for 10 earth-years, and so much had changed. Vegeta over there was king, Kakorot had gone to earth with Raditz and took it over." **

"**We're not so different after all…"**

"**I went to earth one day years later, answering a distress call from Raditz. There were these androids created by Dr. Gero to stop Kakorot and free earth once more. King Vegeta wanted to test his Super Sayjin abilities and I wanted to help my cousins. I didn't have any real sort of power as of yet."**

"**The Androids…" her story was like a parallel, and mentally I whacked myself for being so shocked. But it reminded me of that damn illusion and the alternate timeline as well.**

"**That's when I met Cell. He was built to kill Kakorot and Raditz. Kakorot and Cell had already fought so much that my dear cousin became the second Super Sayjin. Cell wanted more… he was evil like us but didn't want to show it. He tried to deny it. To prove he was good, he held a tournament for everyone on earth to see, and he held me prisoner so my cousins would fight him. That's how I knew he had to be evil."**

Dear Kais, Cell… the similarities! 

"**I was so angry with him. I had already gone through that experience, and now I was being used."**

"**What happened?"**

"**I transformed into a Super Sayjin. I tried to convince Cell to join us, but he wouldn't do it. He wanted to save earth."**

"**Like what happened to me…"**

"**Its Newton all over these worlds, isn't it? Equal, yet opposite. Then once the tournament began, Vegeta and Kakorot teamed up. They were about to kill him."**

"**And you stopped them?" I asked.**

"**Yes, I did."**

"**How?"**

"**Just as your Inner Light had helped your Cell become good, my Inner Darkness turned him bad. That very moment I Bonded to him."**

"**We aren't so different. I grew up away from my family, and thinking back I can't see why I wanted to go back to where I thought my home was. Cell abducted me before the tournament, but I had already Bonded to my mate."**

"**I've wasted enough time talking! I came here to take over a universe!" Empress Katrin cried, powering up.**

**I had no choice, I had to power up and fight her.**

_**How can I beat her? If she truly has the Angel power, then she's practically immortal.**_

**She was me, everything I was, and everything I use to be. If I was evil, I would have used the Angel power to take over the universe, as she had in her universe.**

_**But wait… you have to earn the Angel power… you have to deserve it… you have to open it with love… those are qualities she doesn't possess…**_

**She had answers to questions I wanted answered. I probably wouldn't have ever thought about these things if it wasn't for the rift. It was a good way to look at myself truthfully.**

**But I understood that I had to fight her. Instead of trying to put this off, I did exactly what she was doing. I began to go to my ultimate form, SSJ4.**

**Empress Katrin stood tall, finishing before I finished. She had a good couple of minutes ahead of me, but I couldn't focus on her yet. I knew she'd let me finish powering up because we were both Sayjins. We both wanted a challenge. We both wanted to feel pain and to hurt the other fighter. That was, in many ways, the only way you could make sure you were still alive sometimes.**

**Sometimes I think back on my life, and I literally go numb with all the bad mistakes and all the responsibility I had years ago haunting me. If it weren't for the pain when I trained, or the pain when I fought, I'd have to focus and remember. I'd have to remember that I couldn't save Yamcha from that Saibaman, or warn Choazu that his attack against Nappa wouldn't work. I'd have to remember not being able to save Dende from Frieza, or save Vegeta from Frieza. I'd have to remember letting Krillen die so Goku could defeat Frieza, and make that first step into his life as a Sayjin. I'd have to remember losing my human home. I'd have to remember Cell and all he did for me. I'd have to remember killing Vegeta and all those innocent people. I'd have to remember Roxx's torture and the illusion that still claws at my heart. I'd have to remember that I can't do it all, even when I have to do it all.**

_**I'm supposed to protect earth now, and no matter what, no matter what the cost, I will protect earth.**_

**I continued to power up. I couldn't focus on the past right now, I had to save earth… again.**

**Light engulfed my body as my clothes were replaced with fur. My shirt, my fighting Gi, was transformed along with my body. My orange fur sprouted all over my body, itching as it grew. The ground was shaking as I powered up, as it had for many of the others during my conversation with Empress Katrin.**

**My hair started to grow out, going down my neck, past my shoulders, all the way down until it was just past my knees. My fur and the streaks in my hair were orange, I had no red tint whatsoever, unlike last time I fought. This was due to my power increase from my training.**

**My pants were tighter than last time, showing off my legs through the material. The wristbands were no more, but the lavender belt remained. It was a reminder to me, like the Majin scar, that I had weakness. The last time I had weakness I lost my mind. It wouldn't happen again.**

**I saw Empress Katrin, Dark Vegeta, and Dark Kakorot also in SSJ4 form. Codie had already transformed into his Naiad form, but I realized he'd need more to beat SSJ4 Kakorot.**

**They looked so wrong. The fur and hair were all black, and their eyes and clothing were red. There were no discrepancies in the way they looked between them. And besides that, they looked the same as us.**

**AS22: I think a completely black SSJ4 looks cool, don't you? R&R, or I won't post. Soonest post could be Sunday…**


	8. Shadows

**AS22: Okay, here we go again! R&R, please!**

**Chapter 8: Shadows**

"**So, what do you think? Isn't black just so slimming?" Empress Katrin asked, laughing in a high pitched squeal.**

"**I wouldn't really know, what do you think of this color?"**

"**Well… it looks so… heroic." She smirked.**

"**Good, that's what I'm going for. I'm the new protector of earth now."**

"**Yes, Goku elected you, didn't he? Oh, and who exactly is Goku?" she asked.**

"**You haven't figured it out yet? Goku is Kakorot."**

"**What!" she snapped.**

"**Yeah, we have a few surprises in store for you guys as well." I laughed.**

"**Bet some of ours will be more shocking for you, considering how different we are."**

"**We're not so different." I said, looking away.**

"**You were… once raped as well?" she said, lowering her voice. I could only nod, remembering the illusion. I may not have been raped in reality, but it was real enough for me, "And tortured?"**

"**You know about the legend of the Angel power better than I do. That thing I was destined to beat tortured me for a week straight. That's nothing compared to how long you were beaten, but it was so hard… so awful. He showed me things, dark things about myself. Things that scare me even now."**

"**You're scared of being like me." she laughed.**

"**Yeah, I guess so. By the way, did you fight some sort of threat to your universe?"**

"**Nah, not me. I guess that was just a job for you." then she charged at me, not wasting anymore time.**

**We finally began our fight. The expectation of the pain was exhilarating, and the fact that I had an equal was even more exhilarating. She had the same limit as I had, but together we could push past that and excel.**

**I decided enough was enough, so when she came at me I got rough at the start. She went to punch me, and instead of blocking or dodging, I just ducked down and kicked her in the face, stopping her cold. It jarred my leg, making me fall, but I rolled and got right up. But Empress Katrin didn't move.**

**She sat there on the ground, holding her nose and looking at me. Everyone else had stopped. My friends looked confused as their counterparts stood and stared at Empress Katrin with wide eyes.**

"**You hit her… you actually hit her…" Dark Kakorot said, stumbling back and falling on his butt.**

"**She hasn't been hit in over 20 years." Dark Cell said, backing away.**

"**From the way they're reacting that can't be good." Gohan said.**

"**You have no idea." Dark Gohan said, glancing over at his double.**

**Dark Katrin stood up slow, not looking at anyone. The lack of emotion on her face was disturbing. Her eyes were hard and cold, deep red with anger and power. Her arms were tense, and her tail twitched from side to side, like a predator stalking prey. Even her hair seemed on edge.**

**I looked at the Darklings. They looked scared, and the Sayjins had their tails between their legs.**

**Then to everyone's surprise, she laughed. She looked at her hand, covered in blood from the gash across her cheek my boot had made.**

"**I haven't seen my own blood in years…" she laughed again, then licked her hand clean. Her Sayjin comrades eased up a little, wrapping their tails back around their waists and lowering their shoulders. Kakorot finally got up.**

**Empress Katrin dusted off her butt and the back of her legs, then she looked right at me. Her eyes were still dangerously dark.**

"**No one has been brave – or foolish – enough to hit me since… I can't remember when I was last attack, to tell you the truth. Well… attacked in an actual fight, that is. Allow me to show you why…" Her arms snapped around in a circle and I felt my body go stiff, "Demon's Halo!"**

"**What!" I cried. My body was wrapped tight in bands of Ki. It was one of my SSJ4 attacks, "How are you so fast?"**

"**I used Super Sayjin four to conquer the universe, so I had lots more practice than you apparently had." She laughed, powering up an attack I recognized. I struggled to try to break free, though in the back of my mind I knew it was futile.**

**The attack turned purple as she started to charge it up. I knew this would kill me if it hit, I had been playing around with a similar technique for the past year, preparing it for use.**

**The blast started as large as a beach ball and it pulsed, from purple to red, and as Empress Katrin held the ball with both hands, electricity cracked between her fingers.**

"**Sorry dear sister," Empress Katrin laughed, "But I can't play with you all day. Armageddon Strike!" she spread her hands apart, widening the size of the blast. Instead of round, it was oval shaped, an idea I had that it would hit and move easier with this shape.**

**The large blast started to descend, and my struggles became more frantic. I couldn't move, and to make matters worse I fell over.**

"**Mother!" Codie jumped on top of me, shielding me.**

"**Codie, no!" Mirai cried.**

"**The fool!" Dark Piccolo said.**

"**No… Codie!" I screamed, raising my Ki high enough that I broke the Demon's Halo. I got up, but little too late. The light from the blast was already letting the night sky take its place.**

**I gasped when I saw Codie lying on top of me. Smoke evaporated off his body as he sat up.**

"**Mom, are you alright?" he asked, not moving.**

"**Yeah, what about you?"**

"**Not so good." He laughed. His left arm was gone.**

"**Oh, Codie…" I got up and helped him to his feet.**

**Codie pushed me away slowly, standing on his own.**

"**That felt good, know what I mean mom?" he laughed. **

**I knew exactly what he meant. He did what he had to do to protect me and he succeeded. The smirk on his face was one of pride. **

**He held the stump of his arm and to my surprise his arm regenerated. The green goop splattered the ground as he shook his arm clean. He groaned in pain as he made a fist.**

"**You can regenerate?" I asked. It seemed logical, but he never regenerated in front of me before. He never had to until now.**

"**Yeah, but it hurts like hell." He shook his arm, flexing his fingers and his wrist. He clenched his hand once more.**

**I grabbed him and made him hug me. I was shaking from fear.**

"**Its okay, mom. I'm okay."**

"**Don't you ever do something so half-cocked again, do you hear me?"**

"**He risked his life for her." Empress Katrin said, staring at Codie.**

"**He's my son, of course he'd risk his life for me. I'd be more surprised if he hadn't done something foolish like that."**

**Empress Katrin kept staring at Codie. As we broke the hug, I turned back to face my evil double.**

Hasn't anyone ever risked their life for her before? 

**She snapped her fingers high in the air, and the Darklings grabbed their good doubles. Using Instant Transmission, Empress Katrin went around and grabbed my tail. Dark Vegeta had Vegeta by his tail as well. Codie was the only one free. Cell was the only darkling not holding one of us. It wasn't hard to figure out.**

"**Cell, get him. Its time." Dark Cell nodded and walked toward Codie.**

"**You stay away from my son! Ahh!" Empress Katrin squeezed my tail tighter, causing me to lose my balance, and I fell to the ground.**

"**Sorry Katie, but your perfect little life is about to be shattered." Empress Katrin squeezed tight on my tail, keeping me helpless.**

"**Codie! Don't try to fight him, just run!"**

"**Listen to your mom, Codie! Don't worry about us!" Mirai cried, trying to break free from Dark Piccolo's chokehold.**

**Codie stood stiff as Dark Cell walked closer and closer. Codie went into a fighting stance, preparing to fight even though I told him to run. He was just as stubborn as Cell.**

"**There is no need for that, son." Dark Cell said, waving a hand casually.**

"**You're not my father." Codie said.**

"**I'm not, but we are the same. We're Cell. You can be with me and your mother forever."**

"**Forever…"**

"**Codie!" his eyes flashed red, but went back to pink again, "Leave him alone! If you hurt him, I'll-"**

"**You're not in any position to threaten me!" Cell snapped at me. I froze; I realized he wasn't my Cell, but still, Cell never spoke to me like that before.**

"**I'll cut off my own tail to get to him."**

"**What?"**

_**I may lose Ki by cutting my tail off, but I'd be able to get free.**_

**I raised my hand and started down to chop my own tail. I'd save Codie, even if it meant I'd die by my counterpart's hand later.**

"**She means it!" Dark Kakorot said.**

"**She'd cut off her own tail? That's a sign of true devotion." I heard Dark Vegeta say.**

**Empress Katrin switched around and held my arms tight, standing on my tail at the same time.**

"**Your son will be mine." Empress Katrin leaned down to my ear level.**

"**Leave the boy alone!"**

"**No, I want a son, and yours will do nicely."**

_**Why does she need my son? Couldn't she have a child with anyone?**_

"**We can rule together… you can be yourself, and not hide who you truly are… you'll be free, my son."**

"**Yes… I'll be free…" Codie's eyes changed from pink to red and didn't change back. He fell forward.**

"**No! Codie!"**

"**He's ours, my dear mate." Dark Cell said, smirking as he held Codie.**

"**Good, then we'll take our leave. It'll help buy some time for the portal. I suggest you not follow, dear twin, or your son may meet with an accident."**

**Empress Katrin walked over and placed a hand on Cell's shoulder. He looked over at her and smiled.**

"**Codie!" I got up and ran toward them. Cell got between us. I stopped, looking at him with wide, angry eyes. Empress Katrin had Codie now.**

"**I suggest you not do that." then they teleported away. The evil doubles let go of their good counterparts and also teleported away.**

"**No! Codie!" I hit the ground and slammed my fist into the rocks, smashing them into gravel. **

**A hand touched my shoulder, and in my anger I turned with the full force of my body and smacked it away. My angry eyes landed on the form of Vegeta, holding his hand. He wasn't at all mad at my outburst.**

"**We'll get Codie back, Katrin."**


	9. Secrets of the Foresaken Angel

**AS22: R&R! this is a good chapter, all about how Katrin sees her good counterpart.**

**Chapter 9: Secrets of the Forsaken Angel**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**(Since this chapter is in the P.O.V. of the evil counterparts, I won't specify the characters as 'Dark'.)**

"**Yes, I believe this place will do for now." Katrin said as she led her family into a large cavern system. This included the newest member, a son for her and her mate. She looked at the unconscious boy lovingly as Cell put him down.**

"**The air smells funny on this planet." Gohan said, sniffing the air.**

"**That's because it isn't polluted here." Trunks said.**

"**So that's what that is? Clean air?" Goten asked, looking around.**

"**Yeah. And the air isn't the only thing, the water is clean too." Piccolo Daimoa said, drinking a handful of the water.**

**Katrin looked over at her mate and her good counterpart's son. The boy was still sleeping.**

_**She gets to have it all… a family, a son… and yet, she didn't take it… how did she get all of this? Why has all my hard work been repaid with heartache!**_

**Katrin found a flat rock that she sat on. Her family looked around as she sat, deep in thought.**

_**She gave up her power? She obeyed all the rules? She had visions as I once did? She didn't earn that power! Her life was perfect! She wasn't beaten… she wasn't raped… she fears being like me? What am I missing? What does she possess that I don't? ...She was raised human as well. Katie is a human name, as is Goku.**_

**Katrin looked at her family closer.**

_**Her Vegeta is like a father figure… he never became king, and 'Goku' beat him to the SSJ transformation. He was evil, but isn't anymore. His human mate still lives…**_

_**Goku is her cousin. He is Kakorot. He was raised human. How? How could he not notice he wasn't human? He's gone now, sacrificing himself for earth. Why would you sacrifice yourself? You don't gain anything…**_

_**It's the same with Piccolo. He was good, an ally, mentoring Gohan and Katie… but he had nothing to gain…**_

_**Her mate isn't from this time. I don't want to go there, its too confusing… but Cell died to save Katie… would my mate do the same? What am I thinking? He wouldn't gain anything…**_

_**How could she still care for people so much after all these deaths? After being alive for this long she's still so naïve? Love only leads to heartache… I don't love anyone, I can't afford to.**_

**Katrin's conclusions made no sense. As she had learned as a young girl, love was only a trick nature plays on the mind when a species needs to reproduce. If anyone _had_ loved her, they were dead. Her parents died by Kooler's hand when she was a child. Her mother was pregnant at the time on top of that. But she made Kooler pay, Kooler paid a very harsh price indeed.**

She said Kooler had killed her family as well… we aren't completely different after all… why does this girl conflict me so? Do I see myself in her somewhere? 

**Katie's words floated into mind.**

"_**You're better than this, I know it!"**_

"_**Codie! Don't try to fight him, just run!"**_

_**This boy means a lot to her. If only I could-**_

"**I don't like this, Empress." Piccolo snapped Katrin out of her thoughts, angering her.**

"**This better be important, Daimoa. I was deep in thought."**

"**Of course, my lady. Please forgive my ignorance."**

"**Whatever." She sat up, still not looking at Piccolo Daimoa, "What is it you do not like?"**

"**Taking the boy. Your counterpart seemed very close to him."**

"**Daimoa," Katrin lowered her voice, looking at her mate and Codie. Cell was already attached to the boy, "You of all people should know how much Cell and I want an heir. You know how that can never be." in anger she hit the stone with her fists, "You know," she lowered her voice again, "You know that I cannot have a child. This boy has the combined DNA of the Cell from this dimension and my good counterpart. He is the closest thing to a son Cell and I could ever have."**

"**This I know, my empress, but taking another's child-"**

"**I had to take whatever I needed to survive for years. And now I'm doing it again. In order for Cell and I to have an heir and keep order in our universe, we need an heir to rule when we die. He is the closest thing we could ever have."**

"**Yes, my empress."**

"**Now leave me. Take my cousin and look for food."**

**Daimoa left and Katrin turned back to her thoughts.**

_**A son… I will have a son by any means necessary. I will take what I want and need by force. That's the only way to get things done.**_

"**_Empress, don't hide from me._" the voices echoed in Katrin's mind.**

"**_No, not again! Go away, leave me!_"**

"**_You cannot escape me. You know what I am._"**

"**_All the reason I must hide._"**

"**_You don't have to hide. Embrace me._"**

"**_I cannot embrace this part of me. It is weak._"**

"**_If I am so weak, why do you struggle?_"**

"**Go away!" Katrin's voice echoed in the cave. Cell turned from Codie and went to her side.**

"**It's back again, isn't it?" he whispered, looking down to her.**

"**Yes." her voice was low and cracking. She hugged herself and started to rock. Cell hated to see her like this.**

"**Leave us." Cell ordered. The cave emptied immediately.**

"**He won't leave this time… I can't get him to go away."**

"**Shh. It'll be… okay. It'll leave, as always." Cell knelt down and held his mate as she began to cry. He was the only one to ever see her weakness. He saw it as his duty to help keep it hidden from the world.**

**Katrin heard voices, it was as simple as that, yet so much more complicated. Cell could never figure out what or who it was she heard. Whoever it was seemed to grow stronger with every attack on her mind. This was the first time she had ever used a masculine pronoun in reference to a voice.**

"**What does it want?" he asked her. She was shaking in his arms.**

"**Me, that's all it ever wants." She sobbed, shaking even harder now.**

"**You know I could stop it. You know I could enter your mind and stop this. I would, if only you'd ask me."**

"**No, no! You can't, you just can't!" she cried.**

"**Okay, okay, I won't. Forget I even asked."**

"**You can't see it, you can't! It's horrible, you can't!" she continued to cry, for the first time in years she cried. Cell hated to see her cry, hated to see her pain. He hated that she wouldn't let him help.**


	10. The Tale of the Crystal

**Chapter 10: The Tale of the Crystal**

**1st P.O.V.**

**I was pacing the Lookout, going back and forth thinking about Codie and what my evil double might do to him.**

_**I couldn't stop them… they were more than our equals, they were more… we have to find them before the portal opens completely…**_

**The others were talking, but they went getting any answers either.**

_**I need more information… I need to know where she's coming from… where would she hide? Why did she take Codie?**_

"**Katrin." I stopped my pacing and looked over at Vegeta.**

"**Vegeta… I thought I could handle this fight. I thought we were fighting ourselves."**

"**I know, my double was different. I couldn't figure out his moves." Anger flashed in Vegeta's eyes.**

"**Wait a minute… that's it."**

**I walked over to the group, they were beaten and tired, but I knew that if we had to go again they'd be ready.**

"**Katie?"**

"**I know what we did wrong." I said.**

"**Wrong? They were stronger than us, Katie. We didn't do anything wrong." Gohan said.**

"**No, they aren't, we're all equal. But we're also opposite. We were expecting them to do what we would do in battle, but that's not right."**

"**What do you mean?" Goten asked.**

"**They aren't copies of us, they are their own person. We can't expect them to do exactly what we would do in battle. When we face them again, you have to think differently."**

"**You expect us to change our style of fighting just like that?" Trunks asked. They all looked confused, except Vegeta, who stood behind me and just listened.**

"**No, that's not it. Think like a bad guy, that's the key. Think of playing dirty, fighting dirty. Use big attacks to throw them off balance, don't let them recover. Laugh at them, taunt them. Treat them like dirt."**

**I don't know what they thought of my idea, but they agreed to try. I thought it was a stroke of genius on my part.**

"**Kakorot did good picking you." Vegeta said, putting a hand on my shoulder.**

"**Alright, Zinzu beans all around, then we have some hunting to do. we have to find them and save Codie before the portal opens further. Let's go guys!"**

"**You sound like an army commander." Vegeta snorted, heading toward the bag of Zinzu beans.**

Yeah, the commander… that's me. Dammit, why I'd freeze like that? I let her take him. I let Cell- no, it wasn't Cell. That's my problem, I thought, in the back of my mind, that it was Cell. I should have known better. My son is Cell now, and that's all there is to it. Even if my Cell was still alive… I just called him 'my Cell'. He was never mine, but in a way, I was his. 

**I froze because I thought it was my old friend. I didn't want to fight him. I couldn't make that same mistake again.**

**"Katie?" I turned to face Mirai, his left eye swollen shut and limping toward me. He was bringing me a Zinzu as he swallowed his own bean. I watched as his face healed before my eyes.**

"**It looks like Piccolo Daimoa did a number on you." I said.**

"**Katie, don't be like that." that was all I needed to hear. I let my emotions go, crying. Mirai held me, his slightly larger frame wrapping around my arms as I cried into his chest. Until now I was trying to be logical, to think like a warrior. Only now could I see what had really happened.**

"**I let them take Codie. I couldn't stop them. I should have been able to, Mirai, but I hesitated."**

"**That's natural, my love. After all, that was Cell out there."**

"**No, it was a Darkling. They took Cell. They took my son. Why?"**

"**I don't know, but I think I was more than just to annoy you."**

"**You should know it's more than an annoyance." I said, shaking with misery.**

"**Think on what she said to you earlier. Maybe there's a clue there." Mirai said. He lifted my chin up and wiped my tears away, looking into my dark onyx eyes with his own peacock blue orbs.**

"**Okay… I'll do that." I got up and took in a big breath. I turned to our friends, our family. They were stretching and flexing their newly rejuvenated muscles.**

"**Will you be okay?" Mirai asked.**

"**I don't know. Codie and I… we've been through so much. He never left my side after 17 killed you and the kids, even when I didn't know who he was. He's my Crystal Keeper."**

"**Let me guess, a Sayjin story?" Mirai asked.**

"**Yes. Vegeta told it to me. It says that a Sayjin's heart is a crystal. Your courage, your will to live… it all ties into this crystal. On top of that, there is a person, a loved one that guards this crystal. They keep it from breaking. That has to be Codie. Without him, I wouldn't have survived the loss of you and the kids."**

"**But you lost your memory." Mirai said, confused. I sniggered at him.**

"**Yes, I did, but that's better then going crazy like Brolly or Tiom, right? It's better than destroying earth, right?"**

"**So Codie is your Crystal Keeper? And me?"**

"**You're my soul mate."**

"**And what is Cell, Katie?"**

"**Mirai… can't you see it? If my opposite loves him, then that must mean something, right? I loved him, but I wasn't in love with him. I loved him like I loved Piccolo and Goku."**

"**Then kiss me now and prove it." he said. I happily complied.**

**I turned back to our friends, healed up now, and decided we had wasted enough time as it is.**

"**We need to start looking for the Darklings. We'll split up. If you find them, contact me telepathically. I'll be able to hear you, so don't worry about that."**

**They all agreed and headed off, jumping off the Lookout. Vegeta looked back at me before going.**

"**I'll get that boy back." He said as he jumped over the edge.**

"**I don't doubt it at all." I said, heading off in another direction.**

**The cold air whipped against my face as I flew, thinking more of where they could be than looking for them on the ground. I was hoping I'd sense them as I flew in one direction and tried to think of where they were.**

_**Okay, what did empress Katrin tell me earlier?**_

_**She said her parents were dead… she lived with Bardock… she saved Cell because she turned him evil with her Inner Darkness… they must be like my Inner Light…**_

_**Should I ask the council for my powers back? No, it's too late for that. I can do this without them.**_

"…_**Don't you know anything about your own power?"**_

_**But this time it really is my own power. She said it was the real power, not like when I had to reclaim my power from Drazark.**_

_**I could go into her universe and get help… couldn't I? No, she took over the universe… that means she killed Frieza and whoever else might have been strong enough to help me.**_

_**What else did she say? She was once raped… I remember when that happened to me. I want to curl up in a ball and hide… wait! The perfect place to hide!**_

_**After ten years of abuse you'd grow accustomed to the feeling of need to hide. You'd feel safe in a good hiding place, and the perfect place would be somewhere small and dark.**_

**I knew that was it, I knew I was right, no doubts entered my mind.**

"**_Hey guys, its Katie, listen, they'll be hiding out in a cave system. Look for caves!_" I ordered telepathically. Following my own orders, I flew off toward the nearest cave system.**

_**Empress Katrin may not be a carbon copy of myself, but I think I know her well enough to guess her behavior. I can all too well remember when Frieza raped me in the illusion. I can still see his face… I can still remember that night. I can still feel the need to hide whenever I think of that night.**_

_**I can remember how he looked at me… how he touched me… that tail, Kais that tail… and his eyes… they haunt me in my dreams…**_

**Even now, whenever I made love with Mirai, I'd see that ugly demon's face, laughing as I struggled and screamed. As I begged him mercy and cried tears of fear and hopelessness. I could imagine how my double felt every night for ten years, raped and beaten every night. **

**One of my own weaknesses was my empathy. Goku's weakness on the same lines was his trustfulness, and Vegeta's is his pride. At the same time, these are strengths. It was too strong for its own good. My armor of love was too strong for its own good. Sometimes I can just visualize myself throwing off that heavy armor, but if I did, I'd be just like Empress Katrin.**


	11. Pain of the Foresaken Angel fixed!

**AS22: Now we see why empress Katrin is how she is… it's sad, really… R&R! hey, I fixed the problem!**

**Chapter 11: The Pain of the Fallen Angel**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Empress Katrin had cried herself to sleep. Dark Cell could recollect seeing her like this only once before. He didn't want to remember that day, so he pushed back the thoughts. He stared at his mate lying on the hard stone, lying with her tail wrapped around her legs, her long hair a mess, and tears still lighting up her cheeks. Her head rested on one arm, the other tight to her side defensively. Even in sleep she was on guard. Dark Cell attributed that to her years under the hold of that madman, King Lios of the Amphibiousians. Basically his people were giant frogs. The first thing Katrin did after gaining control of her Angel power was destroy that planet. No one blamed her, and in fact thought it was a bout time someone had done something about those nasty frogs. They were worse than the Icejin ever had been.**

**As Cell watched her sleep, he noticed how weak she looked. He didn't care at all. As she slept, hopefully starting to return back to normal, chasing the voice away, he remembered. Nothing the bionic android did could drive away the memory.**

**XxX**

**Katrin always had a glow about her, something pure, something special that made everyone she met feel so good around her. Her hair was always neat, usually braided, and her armor was usually polished to a shine. The spandex was always gold, yellow, and occasionally blue, but always bright unless she had just been in battle.**

**But this day the Empress was glowing even more so than usual. She was pregnant, and due soon, and she had never been happier and more hopeful.**

**The doctors had warned her many times. Injuries she had suffered as a child from that maniac King Lios had damaged her reproductive organs, and the damage was irreversible. **

**They warned her that pregnancy was impossible. They were wrong, she had become pregnant 7 months ago, and as a Sayjin her child was due any day.**

**_It wasn't just her child, it was mine as well._ Dark Cell remembered.**

**The doctors warned her that if she did somehow become pregnant, the child wouldn't make it full term. They were wrong again; his mate was ready any day now to deliver.**

It may have been easier if the child had died sooner, or if the seed had never been planted at all… 

**The doctors had warned that the child would die if it were born. This time, Dark Cell cursed them for being right.**

**Empress Katrin was in labor, and Dark Cell was right there with her. He wanted to see his child born. He didn't want to the child to grow not knowing its father as he had.**

**It took many hours, and Katrin never faltered. She pushed and breathed and never gave in. She never took any medication for the pain. She was ready for her child. In Dark Cell's mind, she was ready to love.**

**Finally it was born, the doctors took the baby to clean it and check it. It was a boy, and his tail was long and dark like a Sayjin's.**

"**Cell, something's wrong. Why isn't he crying?"**

"**I'm sure it is fine, my love. I'll be right back." He kissed her forehead and followed after the doctor.**

**Cell's worse fear had come true. When he caught up with the doctor, he saw that the monitors hooked up to the child were all negative. The child had died during birth. It wasn't strong enough.**

"**What happened?" Cell asked. The doctor looked at the ground as she spoke up. Cell noticed her voice broke with fear, anger, and sorrow.**

"**I'm sorry emperor. The child's heart wasn't strong enough… he died in the womb…" There was silence for a moment, "I'm so sorry, emperor. There was nothing we could have done."**

**He punched the wall, leaving a dent. He barely heard the doctors call in an order to repair the wall. Sweat and tears fell from his face as he stood there, his hand bleeding as it sat still in the wall.**

**Cell stood and wiped off his face. His regeneration kicked in and repaired his hand. He looked through the curtain to his mate. She was leaning against her pillow, wanting to see her child. She was still so strong.**

**Cell leaned forward again with his arms on the wall, sweating. He didn't want to tell her, he didn't want to break her heart, but if anyone should tell her, it had to be him. He was the only one who could hurt with her.**

**He sighed and walked back to the bed. She still looked so hopeful.**

"**Cell?"**

**He sat on the chair next to her and took her hand. He had to look her in the eye, which was hard to do even when she was happy. Her eyes were just so strong.**

"**My love… the child…"**

**Her howls of sorrow filled the castle. Nothing Cell did could comfort her.**

**As days went by she was quite and kept busy with her usual training and duties. She seemed okay, considering, but as the days dragged on, Dark Cell could see subtle changes in her character. Anyone else couldn't notice, but he did.**

**She used to walk by the nursery everyday to check on the Sayjin and orphaned children. Now she avoided that area at all costs, even if it meant taking another twenty minutes by walking around the nursery.**

**She used to sing. Dark Cell was often taken aback by her voice, but now she never sang, not even humming notes to old songs.**

**XxX**

**_Then the voices came. That first night scared me, and I'm creature that flew right through our sun in a one-man ship to cut-off rebel troops._**

_**She was so weak… so small… it broke my heart, even with all the dried blood coating it from years of battle…**_

**Cell looked at the boy. Codie could have been his, and his mate's child. He looked back at Katrin as the memories of that night flooded him and wouldn't stop no matter what he tried.**

**XxX**

**As Dark Cell walked out of the shower, cleaning up after sparring with Raditz, he heard the howls again. Katrin's sad howls weren't uncommon now, but this time they sounded different. They sounded painful.**

**Cell was slow on his walk to the bedroom, anxious and worried about what he'd find. He grasped the doorknob, holding it tight, feeling the cold metal against his hot skin. He squeezed the doorknob tighter.**

"**Empress?" it took all his will to keep his voice steady.**

**Her voice was muffled, ranting. High pitched squeals of terror made way through the wooden door.**

"**Empress Katrin, let me in! Katrin!" pushing formalities aside, he burst through the wooden door easily, breaking the metal hinges with a whiny crack.**

**The site before him was a horror. There was blood on the floor, bloody handprints and footprints scattered around the floors, walls, even the ceiling. Sheets that were once white now had large red puddles dried on.**

**Cell's red eyes adjusted to the darkness, seeing with better quality than a human would have. The large table on the far side of the room was smashed into pieces, and the large portrait of the two of them was ripped right down the middle, Cell on one side, his mate on the other.**

**A soft, muddled moan caught his attention. The source led to the balcony. The breeze blowing in was cool, and the scent of blood floated on it.**

**Cell went to the balcony threshold, and looked to the stone rail. The form of his mate stood on the railing, dangerously teetering back and forth.**

"**Katrin?" Cell came up slowly, not wanting to scare her and thus causing her to fall.**

"**_Hush now, my little one…_"**

"**Katrin, please, come down." Cell got a little closer. He recognized the song, a Sayjin lullaby. She often sang it while she was pregnant.**

**Katrin turned her head, dangerously teetering again. Her eyes shined in the moonlight with tears.**

"**I can't go on like this…"**

"**Yes you can. You're better than this." Cell took a step closer.**

"**Don't take another step, I warn you." she hissed. Cell stopped cold in his tracks.**

"**This fall won't kill you."**

"**Yes it will, I've lowered my power level to 1, less than an adult human male's power level. And my loss of blood…"**

**Cell saw the horrible gashes on her arms now. They were deep and long, and ragged. Ti looked like she had used her own claws to rip the skin away.**

"**Don't do this, Katrin. You're the Empress, you rule over the universe. The universe needs you to rule over it."**

"**It was fine before I took over."**

"**No, it wasn't. Don't you remember? The torture, the rape, the crime? It's gone now because of you."**

"**It'll go on without me." she whimpered.**

"**No, without you our empire will crumble."**

"**It'll go on without me because once I die I won't have an heir. I can't have a child, I've been damned for all my sins."**

"**Katrin, it isn't ready to be left alone. It still needs you. I still need you, and you aren't dammed. You have no sins to pay for."**

"**I thought killing Lios would end my pain. It didn't, so I went on and destroyed the planet." She was talking of something that had happened nearly 30 years prior to now.**

"**This I know." Cell daringly took a step forward. She didn't notice as she stared out into the stars.**

"**That is the sin."**

"**He wronged you and many others like you. What you did was justice. No one was saddened by the loss of those creatures."**

"**He'd be a year old today…" Cell turned his head away, trying not to cry in front of his mate. If she saw him cry now, she'd surely jump. It was true, a year ago today the child had been born and died.**

**Her body was shaking and teetering. Cell looked closer and saw tears falling from her face.**

_**She's crying… I've never seen her cry, only the howls.**_

"**This, too, I know." Cell responded.**

"**Blood flowing from damned arms… the fallen angel takes her final stand. One tells her to jump, the other to live… which does she listen to?"**

"**Katrin?" Cell noticed her bare arms, dark red smears covering the tanned skin. The redness was from blood, open cuts up and down her arms, and they were still bleeding.**

_**If I don't get her to the healers soon she'll die from blood loss…**_

"**One says jump… one says live… one says kill… one says fall…"**

**Her voice seemed far away.**

"**Who is telling you these things?" Cell asked.**

"**The voices… can't you hear them? They're speaking to me, even now."**

**Cell's eyes grew wide upon hearing this.**

"**Katrin, come down now." Cell reached out his hand.**

"**They say you don't love me."**

**Cell stopped cold.**

"**Katrin, you know I love you. I do, with all that I am."**

"**And what are you? One voice asks…"**

"**I'm your mate, that's all that matters."**

"**Love is a weakness… love is a strength… love is only a fool's dream…"**

**Taking a chance, Cell reached out and grabbed Katrin's arm, pulling her down to his level.**

"**Love can be all of those things, but our love is right." Cell looked her right in the eyes, making her look into his. Her voice was lost to her as more tears flowed.**

"**They stopped. Cell… I'm… I'm scared. What will happen next time?"**

**Katrin did something she never did. She went into Cell's arm, seeking comfort. At first he was shocked, but he saw what she needed, for the first time, she needed comfort and wasn't scared to let him comfort her. He wrapped his arms around her, enfolding her smaller frame into his larger one. Wrapping his tail around her signaled that they were as close as they could ever be.**

"**I'll be there with you when they come back."**

**She went limp in his arms, tired and weak from the loss of blood. He picked her up and headed to the healers, thinking of a lie to tell the doctors on the way.**

**XxX**

**Since then the voices came and went, and Dark Cell made sure to always be close to his mate. She was stable now, but the voices were always there.**

**AS22: now see? Isn't this so depressing? But now, Thomas Drovin, you see why I couldn't use your quotes!**

**PS- I fixed the weird chapter thingy!**


	12. Warning

**AS22: Hey all, I'm back! Here we go with the next group of chapters, but R&R!**

**Chapter 12: Warning**

**1st P.O.V.**

**The sand whipped into my face as I flew over the desert, searching for caves. The heat was terrible, but I kept reminding myself that I was looking for Codie. If something happened to him, I'd lose my crystal.**

**Black clouds came over the sand as the wind picked up. I could smell the air, and it was going to rain. It was just my luck that it would rain on me now, in a desert. If I could find a scent I could track them, but if it rains now the scent will get washed away.**

**The rain started down softly, and the cold wetness dampened my hair quickly. I was soon soaked through my clothes, but I wasn't going to stop until I had my son back.**

**Soon the desert blended into forest, but still I couldn't find the caves that I knew existed near here.**

**The trees gave some cover from the rain as it started to thunder. I continued on, trying to find the caves. I didn't think I'd find them in the first cave I came to, but it would have been nice to have found a cave by now.**

"**Katie, what are you doing in this weather?" I turned to the voice, shaded by the darkness, but I knew exactly who it was.**

"**You're the fortune teller, you tell me." I said, walking over to Baba, "Hello, Baba. Why are you out in the storm?"**

**Out of everyone I knew, I was the only one who wasn't creeped-out by Baba. She respected me for that.**

"**I was looking for you. Your immediate future is full of darkness."**

"**The evil counterparts."**

"**Yes, but there is more. The reason why your counterpart took Codie."**

"**What? Tell me!"**

"**The message from the spirit world wasn't very clear, dear. You'll have to interpret it yourself."**

"**I'll deal with that, prophecy has always been in my life."**

"**_All shadow has light, and all light has shadow, thus is the way of balance. Light and darkness always are near, always fighting for control. Only when these two embrace can unity and balance be. When one half has, the other lacks, when one lacks, the other has._"**

"**She can't have children…" I thought aloud. Baba's face twisted in a 'you think you know? Or do you?' look.**

"**_A light in darkness, a fallen angel, demons from the past haunt both, demons with ties to the past await in the future. Both feel damned, but damned are we all, if these two cannot meet._" I thought on it a moment. **

"**Okay, what's next?"**

"**_Balance is the key to victory. Only when light and dark are equal can balance be found. Only when light and darkness intertwine can they become equal. One world full of light, one world full of darkness, both exist but never meet. Only when the guardians of these worlds meet can chaos be avoided._ Do you wish for me to repeat it?"**

"**No… no, I got it." I said.**

"**I wish you luck, child. I pray I don't have to escort any of your friends to the Otherworld."**

"**I do too." Baba faded into the darkness as easily and as suddenly as she had appeared.**

**I started walking through the forest, cold rainwater dripping through the trees every now and then. Baba's warning repeated through my mind over and over.**

_**Was my guess right? Is that why she took Codie? And who has to 'meet'? Light and darkness embrace? But that can't happen.**_

**XxX**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Dark Cell stayed near his mate as she slept. They were alone in this part of the cave, the others gathering food. He heard the thunder, and he almost dared nature to waken his love and face his wrath.**

**Katrin's eyes flew open and she shot up into a sitting position.**

"**Someone's near." She said, getting up.**

"**Who? Your double?"**

"**I don't know. Stop them before they find us. We still need more time."**

"**Of course, my empress."**

**Dark Cell started toward the cave entrance, then decided to stop and teleport. He looked back at his mate before leaving.**

**1st P.O.V.**

_**What did Baba mean by a fallen angel? And a light in darkness? How could light and darkness embrace?**_

"**Halt there." The voice made me freeze. I knew the voice, it haunted my nightmares on and off for the last 17 years.**

**I turned and it was true; it was Dark Cell.**

_**Right, not Cell, Dark Cell. The bastard that stole my son.**_

"**Leave me alone, or you'll force me to do something I really don't want to do." I said, looking at him. He was staring at me, leaning against a tree.**

**XxX**

"_**Come on, Cell! Take a picture with me!" I said, grabbing his arm. He pulled away and growled.**_

"_**Why? You know what I look like without a picture."**_

"_**Yeah, but what if something happens and I can't ever see you again?"**_

"_**As long as you teleport you can find me. Its not like I'm going anywhere, I'm already dead." He flashed an evil looked at Mirai, but he didn't notice.**_

"_**Oh, you're no fun." I replied, turning to go sit under a tree. It was really hot out.**_

"_**Oh… alright. Let's get this over with."**_

"_**Really?" I grabbed his arm and handed Bulma the camera.**_

"_**Ready?" she asked, "Say Dragonball!"**_

"_**Dragonball!" before Cell could argue, I jumped on his back and held up the 'V for victory'.**_

"_**I knew you'd do that! I knew it!" Cell growled again.**_

**XxX**

**It was a day similar to today. Cell had been leaning on a tree before I dragged him to take a picture. It was right after Roxx came to earth.**

"**I'm your enemy, aren't I? Why wouldn't you want to attack me?" He said, walking into the light. His red eyes were a dead give away that he wasn't the Cell I had called my best friend.**

"**I will, if only to save my son." I jumped to SSJ4, growling at him.**

Not Cell… not Cell… not Cell… 

**Dark Cell didn't move, he just stared at me. He was studying me.**

"**What is it? Haven't you seen your mate like this before?" I snapped, raising my fists higher.**

"**You… you really love the boy?" he asked.**

"**Dammit, of course! Why don't you guys understand that?"**

"**Because we don't love. It's hardly heard of in our universe. You act like it's a power of some kind." I relaxed my pose. **

How can you live not knowing what love is? 

**I walked over to him. He stayed on guard just the same as I made my way closer.**

"**Love activated my Angel power. Love led me to my family. Love… love is something I felt… toward you. The Cell in this dimension was my best friend. He sacrificed his soul to save me."**

**I turned away from him before I could cry. I knew I would.**

Why did I go do that? He isn't Cell! Not the Cell I knew! 

"**You're going to cry. I'm right, love is a weakness."**

"**You are right." I said, regaining my composure by wiping my eyes, then I turned toward him, "It can be a weakness. It can also be a strength. Goku told me years ago that I have an armor of love. Everyone I care about is part of that armor. My mate… my kids… Goku and Vegeta… and your double to name a few. Many people who don't even know me are built into my armor."**

_**Maybe I can get him to turn on his friends… it didn't work with my friend Cell, but it might with him. Maybe he can understand.**_

"**Can that armor protect you from this?" Dark Cell powered up a Special Beam Cannon, and aimed it at me.**

"**Go ahead." I dared.**

**We stood, both quiet, both still. The clouds parted as we stood. His energy beam was pointed right between my eyes, barely an inch from my head. We were in a stalemate, and he had the upper hand. The question is, would he fire at me? A creature that was defenseless, undoubtedly intriguing to him, and a look-a-like of his mate? If he did fire, I was dead.**

**He lowered his attack, taking the energy back inside his body.**

"**Looks like your armor can protect you." he said, relaxing his pose.**

"**You're not evil, I can see it. At least, you're not deep in your soul. You might be by now, but you weren't always evil."**

"**I'm evil now, don't push it." he growled.**

"**Here, let me show you something." I used my Ki to teleport the picture from home he inspired me to recall moments ago. It was a neat trick I used with Instant Transmission. I handed him the picture.**

"**What's this?" he asked, looking from the picture to me.**

"**Cell and me. This was taken a few years before he died."**

"**You and he… you look so…"**

"**Happy?" I finished.**

"**Happy… and in love."**

"**I loved him like a brother. He was my best friend. I wasn't in love with him, but there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not reminded of him. His son, our son, is all I have left of him, that's one reason I want my son back so much. Hell, if certain events never took place, Cell and I might have been together."**

"**I still don't see how my counterpart could sacrifice himself for someone else, even you. What is there to gain?" he looked at the picture, then up to me. His statement was in a low, growling tone, "You must know."**

"**I only know one way to answer that question…"**

I can't do it… he isn't my friend… and we both have mates… 

"**Then tell me." he said.**

"**I have to show it… it's the only way."**

**I stepped up to him and put my hand behind his neck. I lowered him down into a kiss. He was so shocked he didn't move. I deepened the kiss, making it the same as the kiss Cell had given to me 18 years ago.**

**Cell began to feel the emotion. He held me closer for a moment. I broke apart the kiss before my emotions could take over.**

Why did I do that? What do I think this is, The Phantom of the Opera? Did I think my kiss would set us all free? 

**Dark Cell looked at me for a moment. He didn't say anything, and neither did I. He just looked at me, confused and shocked. His eyes were wide. He furled his eyebrows together and turned his head, trying to think about what we just did. To tell the truth, I was confused as well.**

"**I hope we can keep that a secret. Our mates don't need to know about that one kiss."**

"**I have to go." He held the picture out to me.**

"**Keep it. I have many more copies of it at home."**

**He looked at the picture again.**

"**I'll take good care of our- your son. Don't follow me." then he teleported away.**

_**Why didn't I ask about Codie? Stupid! I will get Codie back, but I have to play this right. I can't let them hurt Codie, or use him against me.**_

"**You'd better, Cell. Just in case."**

**AS22: Will Katie get Codie back? Will she find out for sure her theories about Cell and Katrin? Find out next time, and R&R!**


	13. A Darkling's Troubled Soul

**Chapter 13: A Darkling's Troubled Soul**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Dark Cell didn't teleport directly to the cave hideaway. Instead, he teleported himself to an area just outside West City.**

**He scanned the area, finding nothing but wreckage, grown over from the years of forsaken time. No one had been here in years, by the look of it. West City stood proud in the distance, not like the one back home.**

_**Mild pollution… bright lights… it seems to wrong compared to home, but it also seems so… right…?**_

**Dark Cell looked down at the photo again.**

_**Why does this image plague me so? That isn't me, or my mate… but they look happy. How can this be? What exactly is love?**_

**Dark Cell walked around the area, examining the mess. The white tiles were scattered, and whole ones were few and far between. Tanks stood at one side, either flipped over or in pieces. An army helicopter was also in the debris.**

**One area was completely desolate. There was no grass or rubble. The area almost made a complete circle.**

_**This is where my double fought this dimension's Gohan and nearly died. That can't be right… he would have had to die here. I couldn't have survived an attack like the one Katie described to us.**_

_**She lied to us.**_

**Dark Cell walked to the center of the old arena, markers laid out still from when it was built.**

Why do I care if she lied or not? What does it matter? 

**He looked up at the dark sky. In the distance, the sun was peeking over the horizon.**

What does she hide? If my double died here, how can this picture be? 

**The small piece of plastic suddenly felt very heavy in his hand.**

_**What do I feel…? What is this called? It's more than respect… but it's less than love. Katrin, my empress, my mate, is the closest thing to love I know. Katie is… Katie is… a friend?**_

_**No, it cannot be. She is the enemy.**_

**He stared at the picture. The image of his double looked angry, but behind the pink eyes of his double he saw something hidden, deep inside.**

_**If he loved Katie, does that mean I cannot love my empress? They can feel love… can we? Could we?**_

"**Love is weak… yet… I cannot fight it. I couldn't kill her. What do I tell my Empress? How could something as weak as love stop me?"**

_**I need time… time before we all meet on the battlefield again… but for now, I return to my… my family.**_

_**I will find my answers soon.**_

**Dark Cell tucked the picture into his green armor and teleported back to the cave. Everyone was pacing, fed up with the captivity of the small, enclosed space. Codie still slept, oblivious to the situation.**

"**It's about time you returned. Catch." Kakorot tossed something at Cell. Cell caught it before looking at what it was. It was an apple. In anger, Cell threw the apple back at Kakorot.**

"**You idiot, you know I can't eat that. If we are to remain here much longer, I must go hunt." He growled.**

"**You'll get your chance, but lets focus on the now, shall we?" Katrin stepped out of the shadows and circled around Codie, staring at him in admiration, "Who was it?"**

"…**Your counterpart." He couldn't lie to her.**

"**Did you kill her?"**

"**No, I couldn't. She was too strong for me."**

"**Are you sure? Perhaps you were too weak."**

"**I beg your forgiveness, my empress."**

"**Of course, my pet. Did you at least find out anything we might be able to use?" Katrin purred to her mate.**

**Cell stood on edge, fearing what would happen if she knew of the kiss. Or perhaps it was his mate's sudden mood swings that frightened him. He wasn't sure which.**

"**They consider love a strength. Katie loved my counterpart like a big brother. It is the same with Piccolo and Goku."**

"**Hmm… maybe I can use that. I must meditate over this. Go on your hunt. Be back before the sun rises too high. If we're found out now it'll be too soon. And have fun." She purred.**

"**Yes, of course. Thank you, my Empress."**

**1st P.O.V.**

_**Baba's words confuse me… Cell confuses me… he could have killed me… why didn't he? Does he see something in me, just like my old friend? They're opposites, it wouldn't be possible… but Cell has surprised me many times in the past.**_

_**Damn, I gotta get Codie back! I gotta focus on him, not the Cell darkling.**_

**The rain had picked back up, darkening the sky once more. I sat under an old cherry-blossom tree, full bloom at this time of year, waiting for the rain to stop. Flying in the rain was not fun, and trying to sense Ki at the same time was even harder.**

**Cell was plaguing me now more than ever. I knew that the evil Cell in this dimension would have killed me, but this Cell didn't. Both were good, but that couldn't be. Something was deeper than Gero's programming and these parallel dimensions.**

_**Our Cell started out bad and became good… this Cell started out good and became evil… yet both act true to their real nature. This Cell still has a good streak, as our Cell had an evil streak. They have balance.**_

_**Baba said light and darkness need to balance. The only missing factor I can see is why my darkling stole away Codie. Why didn't she just kill him?**_

_**I know… it was to get to me.**_

**Light started to peek through the clouds once more, so I took my chance and took off once more, searching for the caves. **

**AS22: Will Cell join Katie and the good guys? Will the rain stop? Will the caves be found? R&R!**


	14. Reconnection

**Chapter 14: Reconnection**

**It had been hours since the sun came up, and I still had no idea where Codie was. I couldn't find any trace of him, I couldn't sense his Ki, find his scent, or make contact with him. I was hoping against all hope that he was still alive. That alone broke my heart.**

**I flew fast, not letting anything pass by my keen eyesight, even at these high speeds. I sensed someone near, someone familiar. Who ever he was, it was a darkling. The Ki was too dark not to be.**

**The form took shape ahead of me, and as I got closer I could make out certain features. A tail, armor, a Scouter. It wasn't my darkling, she didn't have a Scouter. It was male as well.**

**It was Kakorot, and as I got nearer he didn't move. He just stood there, up high above the surface of the planet, waiting for me.**

**I stopped, and at first he didn't seem to notice me. He was looking the other way, but then his Scouter went off. He turned to face me.**

"**I can't believe you can't sense Ki." I said.**

"**Only Emperor Cell, Daimoa, and Empress Katrin can do that. I'm here to deliver a message."**

"**Really? Kakorot the messenger?" I scoffed.**

"**The Empress wants to meet with you and your little friends in 2 hours, at Kami's Lookout. We presume you have one in this dimension?"**

"**Yeah, we do. What's this all about?"**

"**Just be there and the kid will remain alive."**

"**Codie… give him back to me. You have sons, you must understand how this feels."**

"**Goku must be a softy, because I really don't care about that 'love' bullshit you spread. I only love to battle. Be at the Lookout in 2 hours, your friends are all receiving the same messages. Don't try to follow me, or your boy may meet with an accident before our meeting. Then again, maybe he doesn't need both arms to be a warrior." He turned and took off.**

**Without a second thought I went straight to the Lookout, teleporting. Some of the others were already there.**

"**So, you know what's up?" Goten asked.**

"**No… Kakorot just told me to meet here."**

"**Same with us." Goten said, looking back at Vegeta and Mirai.**

**I sat down, feeling deflated. Nothing I had done in the past 24 hours had gone right. My son was missing, and I still couldn't keep Baba's warning, Dark Cell, or my darkling off my mind.**

**Trunks landed after a few minutes. He wanted answers, they all did, but I didn't have them. Finally Gohan showed up, so we were all here, waiting to meet with the darklings.**

"**How you holding up?" I turned to the voice to see Mirai sitting beside me. I never even noticed him come over and sit as I thought more on the before mentioned things.**

"**Not so good." I sighed.**

"**Well, start with the top of the list." He said, smirking.**

"**You have no idea."**

"**Try. We're a team." He said, squeezing my shoulder.**

"**Well, first is Katrin. I can't figure her out."**

"**She's evil, what's to figure out?"**

"**The 'why' factor. Why is she evil? That's the question…"**

"**She just is."**

"**Everyone is the way they are for a reason."**

"**She's a Sayjin? That could be a reason." Mirai suggested.**

"**No, I've been there, remember? Sayjins aren't really evil. No living creature is born evil."**

"**Yeah, you're right, as usual."**

"**That's the problem… this time I'm not right. I don't know. Maybe… maybe if we could just talk, I could find out why she's evil."**

"**She won't let that happen. She wants to fight you, plain and simple."**

"**I know…"**

**I looked up to the sky, seeking answer, but I knew the sky couldn't tell me. Pinks and purples still painted the sky in an early morning hue.**

"**What's next?"**

"**Hm?" I turned back to Mirai.**

"**The list, what's next?"**

"**Why she took Codie. She said she was going to shatter my perfect life."**

"**What could that mean?" Mirai asked.**

**I stared at my feet, cold and tired. I wrapped my tail, twitching in the cold air, around my feet as I thought.**

"**Dear Kami… I think I know. I think I figured it out."**

"**What is it?" Mirai's tone expressed the way I felt perfectly.**

"**I met with Baba while looking for some caves. She told me this big long prophecy about all of this. She said one has what one lacks. I think she was referring to us and our darklings."**

"**And what does that mean?"**

"**I have kids, and she doesn't. And she wants a child."**

"**So she took ours!" Mirai said, raising his voice.**

"**She was raped as a kid… maybe she can't have kids. She said she takes what she wants. Codie is the son of Cell and me. He could be an heir for her."**

"**Kais…" Mirai looked up at the sky, seeking answers from the fading stars. I knew we'd need more than stars to help us.**

"**Mirai, she took him for her own. She kept staring at him earlier."**

"**We'll get him back. Nothing short of death would stop me."**

"**That's what I'm afraid of." I said, standing. I was tired, but if I sat still for too long my muscles would grow stiff in the cold.**

**The waiting was unbearable. Vegeta once more paced like a wild animal. I did too as the minutes ticked by slowly.**

**Then before my eyes could believe me, the darkling of Cell was there.**

"**Cell, what are you doing here?" I asked, stepping up.**

"**My Empress doesn't know I'm here, the others think I am feeding."**

"**Where is my son! Where is Codie?"**

"**I am already going against my Empress' wishes coming here, I cannot tell you where he is as of now."**

"**You can't, or won't?" I growled.**

"**I didn't come to fight, I came to talk."**

"**I don't believe him." Gohan said.**

"**Of course _you_ don't, Gohan." Goten said.**

"**I only want some answers that only you can give me, Katie."**

**His eyes were wide open, nothing to hide. The red color showed emotions clearer than anyone else's eyes I had ever looked into.**

"**Katrin, you can't-"**

"**I believe him." I said.**

"**Katie! That isn't Cell, remember?" Mirai said.**

"**I know! It isn't that, Mirai." I said, turning to face him, "Can't you see it in his eyes? He isn't lying." I turned back to Dark Cell.**

"**You'll answer my questions?" he asked, surprised.**

"**Maybe, it'll depend on the questions." I retorted.**

"**Katie!" Trunks hissed.**

"**Shut up! Can't you guys just trust me?" I asked.**

"**You've never given us any reason not to." Vegeta said, "Let's give them some privacy." The others looked to me, and I nodded. They left with Vegeta.**

"**Thanks, Vegeta." I said, knowing he couldn't hear me.**

"**Well?" Dark Cell asked, making me turn to face him.**

"**I'll answer you best I can if you do the same for me. Deal?"**

"… **Deal." He replied.**

"**Fine, go ahead."**

"**To you, this first question may prove difficult. What is love?"**

"**Love? Well… love is… it's a… it's complicated." I said, sheepishly scratching the back of my head.**

"**You and my counterpart had love, yet you never mated with him or-"**

"**I get it, you don't have to go into detail."**

"**And yet, you also love your mate, Vegeta, Goku, your son, even people who don't care about you. What is love?"**

"**Its strong feelings toward a friend or family member. A good feeling, it can heal you when you're hurting, but it can also hurt."**

"**Love can hurt and heal?"**

"**Yeah, it's like… when a person you love gets hurt or dies, love makes you feel bad."**

"**Who do you know that died?" he scoffed.**

"**I can't tell you."**

"**Why not?" he asked.**

"**I promised not to."**

"**Either you tell me, or I'll take the information I seek." Dark Cell said, raising his tail above his head.**

"**_Guys, I'm going to tell Cell about the Dragonballs._"**

"**_You can't!_" Gohan responded.**

"**_If I don't tell him, he'll rip the info out with his tail. At least this way I can tell him that earth doesn't have any Dragonballs and leave out Namek._"**

"**_Go ahead Katrin, I trust your judgment._" Vegeta responded.**

"**Well?" Dark Cell asked, waving his tail.**

"**Everyone I know has died once, except my son. Even I have died once."**

"**How can that be!" he asked, retracting his tail.**

"**Earth use to have Dragonballs. When Piccolo died, they were lost. Dragonballs can grant wishes, even bring the dead back to life. But with our Piccolo dead, they died too."**

"**It's too fantastic to believe… but it makes sense." He said, turning away in thought.**

"**What?"**

"**I went to the Cell Games battle site. You had claimed my double lived, but from the damage I saw I couldn't believe that. You lied." He turned back to face me.**

"**Only because I was afraid you and your family would try to find the Dragonballs and hurt many innocent people along the way."**

"**We would, you're right."**

"**I've died… I've been to HFIL."**

"**HFIL is the same here as well? A place where the evil dead go for eternal torment?"**

"**Yeah, at least that's the same."**

"**Why did you go to HFIL?" he asked, lowering his arms.**

"**I… I killed many innocent people. I was under a spell, but it was still me." I sighed, trying to push those images away. So much blood and hate.**

"**You were like my mate." He said, finishing my thought, "You fear that part of you. But you do not fear my mate. Odd…"**

"**We're not the same person." I said.**

"**My mate is not evil… but you could not understand her methods."**

"**Try me." I dared.**

"**She took over the universe, but not for power or greed. At least, not in the beginning. She set out to make the universe a better place. With her in power, no one would have to suffer like she did as a child. Our world, our universe has no crime. If there is crime, Empress Katrin takes care of it as a one-person judge, jury, and executioner. She's fair, but not lax."**

"**Now I have a question. The Empress can't have children, can she?"**

"… **You figured it out. That's why she took your son. But we'll raise him as if he were our own."**

"**That isn't what I want. I want him back."**

"**I can't hurt her again! I can't!"**

"**Hurt her?"**

"**I can't explain." He said, turning again. I walked around to face him.**

"**You don't have to. But can't you see? You do love her, for more than… mating or appearance. And I believe she loves you too, she just doesn't know how to explain or show it."**

"**I will tell you the hurt, but only because I think it might help her. She was pregnant once. I had never seen her so happy. She'd sing to the child, even thought it was in the womb. She glowed. Her voice made sirens grow envious. But the damage that damn monster did to her as a child made it impossible for her to truly have a child. It was stillborn. She cried for weeks. Then… then she tried to kill herself."**

"**She did what?"**

"**Only the two of us know. If you say anything--"**

"**No, I won't say anything, Cell." He stopped, shocked I guessed.**

"**Good. You're right, I never knew what to call it before, but I love her. It is my duty to keep this secret."**

"**Then why tell me?"**

"**She's going to kill you anyway."**

"**If it comes to that, I won't hesitate to kill her, or you. I hope you understand that. If you get in my way when I go after Codie, I'll kill you."**

"**I wouldn't expect anything less from my mate's counterpart. I must go, they're almost here." he turned to go, but he stopped. He turned his head to face me, "And if you try to take your son back, I won't hesitate to kill you. My loyalties are to my mate." then he disappeared.**

**AS22: That Cell…**

**Cell: what about me?**

**AS22: Ahh! Oh, its just you.**

**Cell: just me? I'm one of your favorite characters!**

**Vegeta: no, I am!**

**Cell: no, me!**

**(fighting, AS22 sweats)**

**AS22: R&R, I'll try to separate these two.**


	15. Through the Looking Glass

**Chapter 15: Through the Looking Glass**

"**Katie, what was that all about?" Goten asked as I walked over to rejoin the others.**

"**He was confused. He wanted to know what love is."**

"**He has never known love?" Vegeta, of all people, asked.**

"**He thinks he might. He loves the Empress. He wanted to know about the different kinds of love, because he saw that I love all of you."**

"**That's sad, never knowing love." Mirai said.**

"**We have to keep this quiet. He'll be killed if the others know."**

"**We're going to kill him anyway, aren't we?" Vegeta asked.**

"**No, not if we don't have to. We won't kill any of them if we don't have to, agree?" I said. The others nodded in agreement.**

**So the waiting began again, and every second felt like an hour. I paced, I sat, and then I'd pace again. When the second hour passed my anxiety shot up higher than ever.**

"**They're almost here." Gohan said, looking toward the west.**

"**I can see them, right there." Trunks pointed them out.**

"**Get ready." I said, standing in front.**

**They landed, and Dark Cell was carrying Codie, still unconscious. When Dark Cell saw me he turned away. Empress Katrin stood in front. She was the leader of the darklings, and I could tell she wouldn't accept anyone but me as the leader here.**

"**What have you done to Codie!" Mirai cried. I stuck my hand out in front of him, keeping him in check.**

"**She's keeping him safe." I said. She seemed surprised at my response.**

"**Why would I keep him safe? What do I care if he's safe or not?" she asked, smirking and laughing.**

"**Because I figured out that you can't have children of your own. My son, the son of Cell, is the closest thing you'll ever find."**

"**How did you…?" her voice was soft, sounding hurt and scared. She shook her head, "No matter, of course _you_ would figure it out."**

"**So then, why come up here? What do you want?" I asked, keeping my tone low.**

"**I've decided I really don't need this universe. You can keep it."**

"**What?" Goten asked, confused.**

"**Of course, that doesn't mean I'm going to give up so easily. The boy stays with me. We're going home." the others took to the sky, and Empress Katrin rose slowly off the ground, "You're welcome to chase us, but I doubt you'll be able to catch us." she smirked, and in a flash they were heading toward the horizon.**

"**Don't just stand there, go!" I powered up and literally shot off like a rocket, creating a crater where I had stood a moment earlier. The others were right with me.**

"**They're heading toward the portal!" Vegeta said, shooting past me. That enticed me to go faster, going SSJ4 as I flew.**

_**I can't lose Codie. I refuse to lose him. I won't lose him to them, especially not to her.**_

**The wind ripped at my clothes and fur, the sky became blurred, but I refused to slow down. Gohan and Mirai were closest to me now, leaving Trunks, Vegeta, and Goten right behind us.**

_**If we're flying this fast with this much effort, how strong are the darklings? How fast can they really go?**_

**The hole in the sky was now very large, filling up a large part of the sky. We could see it very clearly and we were still many miles away.**

**We were close enough to the darklings now that I could hear them laughing. Heat from anger rose to my face, blocking out the icy wind. My chest hurt, both from my anger and the strain of flying so fast.**

**I saw a few of the dark shapes ahead of us go into the portal. It started to shrink just from three of them going through.**

"**If they make it through we'll lose Codie!" I screamed, flying even faster.**

**Dark Cell, Empress Katrin, and Codie were right in front of the portal. Empress Katrin looked back at me and laughed as Dark Cell stepped through, right as we landed. I started running right to the portal.**

"**Katie!"**

"**Farewell, sister. Until we meet again. Don't worry, I'll raise him as though he were my own." She turned and stepped into the portal. It started to shrink even more.**

"**Codie!" I screamed, still running. The darkness of the portal surrounded me as I jumped through, not hesitating a second.**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Katie jumped through the dark hole in the sky, disappearing from sight.**

"**Katie!"**

"**Katrin!"**

"**Stop!" but the cries were useless. Mirai didn't hesitate; he ran and jumped through the portal. Gohan followed next, disappearing as well.**

**Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks ran, charging right to the portal, but it was too late. The portal vanished, and they ran right through open sky.**

"**No…" Goten said, looking back.**

"**Katie… Mirai… Gohan… where are they?" Trunks asked aloud.**

"**They're in the other universe now. I can't sense them at all, not even enough to tell if they made it."**

"**We have to go after them!" Trunks said.**

"**No, we can't. There isn't any way we can cross through. Only someone who can cross dimensions could get us there." Vegeta said.**

**With the portal now closed, there was only a slight chance that the hole in the wall was still there. That was only because someone had crossed the portal and was now on the other side, interrupting the balance.**

"**Father, who can cross dimensions?"**

"**Roxx, and Katrin when she had the Angel Power. That's it." Vegeta replied, keeping his calm.**

"**So what can we do?" Goten asked.**

"**I don't know." Vegeta admitted.**

"**Let's go back to the Lookout. Dende could contact Supreme Kai for us. We'll go from that, it's all we can do." Trunks said.**

**AS22: What horrors lie in the Darkling universe? You'll have to read, so you might as well review!**


	16. Wonderland

**Chapter 16: Wonderland**

**Someone was shaking me. I was hurting, but I couldn't think of why.**

"**Katie, Katie, wake up!"**

"**Five more minutes…" I said, pushing the hand away.**

"**This isn't the time Katie, wake UP!" whoever it was squeezed my tail, making me yelp as I shot upright.**

"**Why I ought to- where am I?" I looked around, seeing unfamiliar settings for the first time.**

"**We're in bizarre-o-world, Katie." I looked to see Gohan. He was dirty, and when I turned I noticed that Mirai, also awake, was dirty as well.**

"**What happened?" I asked, standing up. I almost fell back down. My legs felt like jelly.**

**I noticed my fur was ruffled and muddy, just like Gohan and Mirai. I had an uncanny urge to lick myself clean.**

_**Not in polite company…**_

"**We came through the portal and then, blam!" Mirai said.**

"**What 'blam'?" I asked, still unsure.**

"**We were hit with something. I don't know what it was." Gohan said.**

"**Yeah, yeah, I remember… it wasn't Ki… it was more like lightning." I said, thinking and remembering.**

"**Maybe it was a side-effect from crossing over the portal." Gohan said. His glasses, which he had been wearing this whole time, were now broken. He noticed this and threw them to the ground, which I also noticed was very muddy and black.**

"**Then why didn't the darklings get hit like that when they entered our side? Or this side?" Mirai asked.**

"**Opposite reactions for entry. We get hurt, they don't." I said.**

**I looked around more closely. It looked so familiar, but I could tell we had crossed into our dark double dimension.**

**The sky was darker, and not just because of the pollution I could vividly smell or because it was night. The grass was dead, the water in a nearby stream was dark brown, and the nearest city was letting out a lot of pollution.**

_**Cell said there was no crime, but I knew better than to expect some sort of creepy utopia. This looks worse than home.**_

"**Where are Goten, Vegeta, and Trunks?"**

"**They didn't make it through." Mirai said.**

"**Well, at least I'm not alone here. And Vegeta is still back home to protect earth. I'm sorry guys, I didn't mean for this to happen."**

"**We know." Gohan said, glancing at Mirai, "At least this way, there's someone back home to protect earth." Gohan smiled, but it really didn't help.**

"**Alright, we better find some cover. We can think about what to do once we're hidden."**

"**Sounds good." Gohan said.**

_**I am the only one with any experience with survival training as in depth as Vegeta taught me. Gohan and I lived in the wilderness for a year, but we didn't have to worry about anyone coming after us to kill us during that time. I can keep them safe, and we will find and rescue Codie.**_

"**Let's try that way." I said, heading south, away from civilization.**

"**I guess we walk?" Mirai asked.**

"**Yeah, it'll use less Ki and it'll keep anyone from sensing us." Gohan said. He knew a little about survival training.**

"**We stay ground level, and we don't use Ki unless absolutely necessary. Vegeta taught me all there is to know about surviving in hostile territory."**

**We walked in the forest, out of sight and hopefully not known to even be here. I was betting on the fact that none of the darklings knew we had followed them. Actually, I was praying that they didn't know.**

**We didn't have to walk far compared to the other things we had accomplished, but it was a couple of miles. We found a small clearing surrounded by thick forest. It was the best we could do for the time being.**

"**This looks good for now." I said, sitting down.**

"**So, what do we do?" Mirai asked.**

"**We rest and come up with an idea. It's only the 3 of us against a universe of evil." Gohan said.**

"**The universe isn't evil, Gohan, just opposite." I said.**

"**I'm not very good at thinking like that, I guess. And I'm suppose to be the scholar here." he replied, sighing.**

_**Who could help us? Who wouldn't think we were the darklings? How do we get home? How do we save Codie?**_

**Mirai's soft laughter got my attention, along with Gohan's. He was just looking at us, a smile across his face, and his shoulders just barely shaking with the low tone of his chuckles.**

"**What is it?" Gohan asked. I looked at both of them, and then I looked at the stars above us. I began to laugh too, "Katie?"**

"**This is just like Mirai's time." I started, "The 3 of us, alone against the androids. We'd go out days at a time camping to hone our skills."**

"**You should have seen the look on their faces when I went back home. 17, 18, and Cell didn't stand a chance." Mirai's laughter grew a bit louder.**

"**We never talked like this before. I guess we never saw a situation similar enough to remind us of it." I said, my laughter growing a bit louder too.**

"**And I have no idea what you guys are talking about." Gohan said, laughing now.**

"**Mirai lived it, and I remember it because of the whole Angel power crap I went through." Our laughter kept growing.**

"**That council sure did mess your life up, didn't the Katie?" Gohan asked. His laughter now rivaled our own. You'd think we were all drunk.**

"**Yeah, but if they hadn't, I would have never met any of you guys." I said, killing the laughter.**

"**And what was the first thing that happened to you when you returned to our dimension? You were nearly killed by Raditz, your own cousin." Gohan said. He was only a little kid at the time, but he remembered it very well.**

"**Yeah, my own cousin. Piccolo saw something in me. He trained me even harder than he trained you Gohan."**

"**That's only because you were older." Gohan replied. Mirai was content listening to us. I lit a fire with my Ki.**

"**Maybe... but it might have been because I was making him. I told him not to take it easy on either of us. I wanted to be strong, so I worked hard, making Piccolo push himself in fighting me."**

"**And now, after all we went through, he..."**

"**Yeah, but it was his choice. Same with Goku." Mirai said.**

"**That reminds me, Mirai. I never told you, but without you I never became the Angel."**

"**It was me?" he asked.**

"**It had to be. That day I fought Cyborg Frieza, I was waiting for you. You didn't come, and then I lost my knowledge of the future. Without you, Roxx kept going."**

"**Just one person?" Gohan asked, poking at the flames.**

"**Isn't Goku just one person? Aren't I just one person? Without your dad, I would have died a long time ago and stayed dead. Without me, Roxx would have destroyed the dimension. This one too." I informed.**

"**Tiom was only one person." Mirai said.**

"**Who?" Gohan asked.**

"**You never told him the Super Sayjin legend?" Mirai asked me.**

"**No, I didn't. I thought Vegeta would have by now." I confessed.**

"**Tiom was the first Super Sayjin. Without him none of us would have become Super Sayjins." Mirai told Gohan.**

"**Actually, Vegeta and I did some research."**

"**Oh no, books again!" Mirai said, laughing.**

"**It turns out we don't have Tiom's power. Brolly has-had it."**

"**Then what do we have?" Gohan asked.**

"**A cheap knock-off. Tiom had a daughter that was mentioned in the myth and Vegeta is descended from her. Tiom also had a son not known about until recently. Brolly is descended from him. A true Sayjin's genes are passed from father to son. We have a branch off of that power, or else how could Goku and the rest of us also become Super Sayjins?"**

"**Wow…"**

"**Dad must have been really disappointed. First Goku beats him to it, and then it turns out to not even be the real thing." Mirai said, poking the fire.**

"**You guys know how powerful Brolly was from first-hand experience. How could one Super Sayjin be that strong unless it were true?"**

"**Brolly… he still scares me." Gohan said.**

"**Yeah, too bad I couldn't go, but I was being held captive by Cell while you guys went off on another adventure!" I said, getting angrier than I ought to have, "Oops, sorry. Good thing my power level didn't rise up just then." I said, scratching the back of my head.**

"**Well, you do have right to be angry. But Katie, I only went with my father to keep an eye on him." Mirai said.**

"**And I went because… I didn't want dad to go alone." Gohan said.**

"**You know, the one thing I always hated was the fact that Goku was always the hero. No matter what, if Goku wasn't there we were doomed. I love Goku, but that was the thing that always bugged me."**

"**You knew dad would always show up to save the say. We didn't. Why did… why did you still train so hard even though you knew my dad would win?" Gohan asked.**

"**Robin Hood." I said, smiling at him.**

"… **Right, Robin Hood." Gohan smiled back.**

**XxX**

**That night I slept in a tree, just like in my training with Vegeta. Mirai and Gohan stayed ground level during the night as I stared up at the stars during my watch.**

_**Those stars are set differently… but how? I should know this…**_

**When the sun came up I got my answer. The sky was red and purple, and even some green. The sun was red, and the twin castles in the background were a dead give-away of our location.**

**I jumped down and ran over to the cold dead fire at camp and immediately discarded any trace of our camp.**

"**Gohan, Mirai, get up now. We gotta move now!"**

"**Katie, what is it?" Mirai asked as he woke up, rubbing his eyes and looking like a kid.**

"**Why is the sky red and green?" Gohan asked, standing in awe.**

"**I can't believe I didn't think of this before. We're not on earth, duh. Why didn't I think of it sooner?"**

"**Katie, where are we?"**

"**Don't just stand there, help me erase our camp!" I snapped, turning to them. They started cleaning up, "We're on Planet Vegeta. Of course Katrin would rule from here, Planet Vegeta was a jewel when it was still around. The sky, the gravity when I first tried to get up, it makes sense." I was ranting as I cleaned up the area. We definitely couldn't leave any traces here, on a planet full of Sayjins and who-knows-what else.**

"**So the portal opened on Planet Vegeta on this side, and earth on our side?" Gohan asked.**

"**If I'm right, it's because of me. Roxx and I fought on earth, and then I created Omega Shenron. My double has the Angel Powers. The two of us were-are the cause. It's all my damn fault again." I cursed.**

"**Maybe it is, but we can't worry about that right now Katie, okay? We save Codie and go home."**

"**I don't even know how to do that." I said.**

"**You're more of a Sayjin than either of us, and I don't mean because you're full-blooded." Gohan said, looking me in the eye, "You lived as a Sayjin, even if it was only a fictional reality, you still know. You've been to Planet Vegeta, so use that. Where can we go?"**

"**We have to stay out of the sun. Planet Vegeta is…" I stopped and looked at the remaining starlight, "In autumn. It'll be hot, hotter than summer on earth. We stick to the forest and to waterways at all times. There are some caves east of here. We can hide there while we come up with a plan."**

**AS22: so this is Planet Vegeta!**

**Katie, Katrin, Kakorot, Raditz: HOME!**

**Cell: yes, yes… home… for me as well as the Sayjins.**

**AS22: Cheer up, Cell!**

**Cell: …**

**Codie: before angel forgets, R&R!**

**AS22: hey, you're not suppose to be conscious yet!**

**Codie: well, I'm stronger than even you know.**

**AS22: No way! I am the author, thus I am your god! Now sleep!**

**Codie: NO!**

**AS22: (pulls out frying pan, smirks)**

**Codie: (shaking) How… how did you get Chi-chi's frying pan?**

**AS22: I told you, I am your god! Now sleep you I'll put you to sleep!**

**Katie, Mirai, Gohan, Cell, Katrin: just do it Codie!**

**Codie: okay! Just don't hurt me! (Zzzzz…)**

**AS22: I love power… now review!**


	17. Betrayal

**Chapter 17: Betrayal**

**3rd P.O.V.**

_**I can sense her here… she managed to make it through behind us without being detected, but I can sense her. Did anyone make it through with her? Has my mistress sensed her as well?**_

**Dark Cell looked through the window of the castle as the red sun rose in the distance. Planet Vegeta had been his home now for about 35 years. He was grateful to his mate for the rescue, but also ashamed he couldn't fulfill his programming and that he needed the rescue.**

**Codie still slept, but Dark Cell calculated it would only be a few more hours until he woke up. His system was being shifted to fit in with his new life. New memory files were being loaded into his programming, and a temporary shutdown was needed.**

_**I feel something new… guilt? When I look at the boy I feel this guilt. But I shouldn't, I've committed worse acts than this without remorse. I've killed for pleasure and for… love for my mate. Because she wanted me to kill. I still do not understand this love… perhaps Katie can tell me, but do I dare betray my mate again?**_

**The memory of the kiss popped into his head. He took out the picture again.**

"**Bah! Love isn't real." he went to rip the picture, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he placed it back into his armor.**

_**I have to know… is this the fate of an android? To always need to know but never comprehending the knowledge?**_

**Dark Cell walked down the hall of the castle.**

_**I have to know, and she can and will tell me. She is the only one who can.**_

**Dark Cell walked out of the castle and once off the grounds he started flying toward Katie's Ki signature.**

**Unbeknownst to him, Empress Katrin was watching him.**

_**What is he up to? He hasn't been the same since we took the boy.**_

**She was sitting on her black throne of lies, sitting with her legs crossed and leaning to one side, holding her chin as she thought. Kakorot burst into the throne room.**

"**Empress, Emperor Cell was just seen leaving the grounds, just as you predicted." Kakorot said, stepping up to Katrin's throne and kneeling.**

"**Follow him. Report to me once he gets to his destination." He nodded and got up, heading toward the door, "And Kakorot, don't get caught."**

**XxX**

**1st P.O.V.**

**The sun was merciless as we marched through the forests of Planet Vegeta. Unrelenting heat and bright light made the walk very difficult. When I looked back to Gohan and Mirai, I saw how bad it really was. Their faces were red and covered with dirt and sweat. I imagined I looked about the same.**

**I had powered down out of SSJ4 form once the sun was high. It was just too hot, and then there was the factor of the Scouters. Even though in SSJ4 form, I could lower my Ki well below SSJ level. A Scouter would pick it up anyway, no matter if my Ki were lower or not.**

"**Hang on, guys. The caves should be over the next hill." I called back.**

"**We could have been there by now if we could fly." Mirai said.**

"**Yeah, well, we can't chance it." I sighed.**

"**And this heat would make it hard to fly anyway." Gohan added.**

**We made it to the top of the hill, and the caves were right where they were supposed to be.**

"**There they are, the ancient home of our ancestors." I said, grinning.**

"**What do you mean by that?" Mirai asked.**

"**Before the Sayjins ruled the planet they lived in caves. In fact, it was those exact caves right in front of us. These caves spread out for miles. My grandfather lived here. Your grandparents lived here." I said. I was in awe, I found my lost roots.**

"**That's great and all, but shade and water would be nice too." Gohan said. Something in his tone wasn't right. I turned to him.**

"**Gohan, are you alright?" Mirai asked.**

"**No, I'm… not…" Gohan started to fall forward.**

"**Mirai, grab him!" Mirai was closer to Gohan than I was. He easily caught Gohan, "Let's get him to the shade."**

**We made our way down the hill, which was easier said than done with Gohan out of commission.**

**We walked into the mouth of the cave and found a place to set Gohan. I knelt down and looked closer at him.**

"**He's got sunstroke, doesn't he?" Mirai asked.**

"**Yeah, and any longer out there you might have too." I replied, looking around for water somewhere in the cave.**

"**What about you?" Mirai asked.**

"**I may not be use to this heat, but I was born on this planet and built for the environment. You and Gohan were born on earth, and even then you're half-breeds."**

"**Hey!" Mirai snapped.**

"**I didn't mean it in a bad way Mirai."**

"**I know, but…"**

"**I understand. How long was it between my death in your time and your trip to the past?" I asked.**

"**About a year. We used your core, just as you made us promise."**

"**I know. I'm gonna look for water, it appears to be dried up here. I'll be back soon."**

"**Be careful out there." Mirai said, grabbing my arm. I turned and kissed him hard, wrapping my tail around the small of his back.**

"**Don't worry, I will be."**

**XxX**

**Every source of water I came upon was dirty, and to tell the truth, I didn't have a way to get any water back to the cave.**

_**The Empress may rule the universe, but she polluted her home world. If I still had the Angel power I could clean it-**_

"_**Maybe you do have your power…"**_

**I stopped and looked around, but I didn't see or sense anyone around. It sounded like a group of people chanting.**

"_**The darkness has the power, the light has the power…"**_

"**Hello?" I didn't get a response.**

"_**The darkness has the power, the light has the power… Light and darkness are always equal…"**_

"**Hey! Who's out there?"**

"_**True love means going against your nature for the ones you love…"**_

**The voices stopped.**

"**Always equal… going against your nature?" I repeated.**

"**Do you always talk to yourself?" I turned to this new voice, and it was Cell again.**

"**Damn." I hissed, taking my stance and looking around.**

"**You can relax, I came alone." He responded, sounding entertained as he held in a chuckle.**

"**I'm glad you think being on guard around an enemy is funny." I said, retracting my pose. He stopped laughing.**

"**I still have questions." He said.**

"**I won't answer them. I came here after my son and that's all. Does anyone else know we're here?"**

"**Do you mean 'we' as in the two of us, or as in your friends?" he replied with his own question.**

"**What do you think?" I responded, playing cool.**

"**No one knows you're here as far as I know, and until that last remark I figured you to be alone."**

"**Good, now go home before you force me to kill you. I have to find a source of clean water." I turned to go, but I kept my guard up.**

_**He may still be the good Cell deep down, but his loyalty is to his mate. He is the enemy. I forgot that once and he killed Mirai.**_

"**The only clean water is in the cities."**

"**Damn." I growled, stopping.**

"**Why do you wish to avoid killing me?" he asked.**

"**I told you I wasn't going to play guru to you Cell."**

"**Is it because you don't like killing, or is it because I remind you of my counterpart?" he pressed on.**

"**You're just as stubborn as my Cell." It was my turn to chuckle. I turned back to face him again. One eyebrow was higher than the other, and he was watching me intently. My statement confused him.**

"**Stubborn how?"**

"**Let's go back to your first question. To the question about killing. I hate to kill. I don't kill unless I have to, and that has only happened a few times. You also remind me of my dear friend. You're stubborn like he was as well. You want one thing and you'll pursue it to the end."**

"**You've never killed for pleasure?" he asked.**

"**I don't like talking about it… but I did once kill for pleasure."**

"**Why did you, then?"**

"**I was under a spell… it released the darkest part in my soul. I killed many innocent people at one time… but I don't like to talk about it." I still have to hold back tears from remembering that day.**

**XxX**

"_**Katie is Katherine, and Katherine is Katie. You have to get that by now."**_

"_**The only way we would believe that is if you did something really bad." Goku said. I smiled.**_

"_**You mean like this?" I moved my arm and powered a blast aimed toward the audience.**_

"_**No, you wouldn't-"**_

"_**Yes I would." I blasted. The screams and the smoke and fire filled the background. The looks on the faces of my friends and family then excited me, now it sickened me.**_

**XxX**

"**You know the joy, so why do you fight it?" Cell asked.**

"**It wasn't joy!" I shouted, "It was sick and wrong. For a moment I lost my armor of love… and I lost myself."**

**Cell stared at me, trying to figure out something. What that was, I didn't know. Maybe he was trying to find a reason to believe me, or perhaps a reason to join me. Maybe he was trying to figure out love. Right now, I figured, he thought of love as only a physical thing. He had never seen true love or any other form of love.**

"**You push away the darkness and my mistress uses the darkness. You are… like light, she is like darkness. But know this, I love that darkness."**

_**Wait… I am light, she is darkness… when the light and darkness embrace, balance will follow. That's what Baba said. But embrace how?**_

"**Something I said interests you?" he asked.**

"**Never mind." I replied, shaking my head.**

**Suddenly I felt several energies around me. When I looked away from Cell I saw several Sayjin warriors. Kakorot was in the lead.**

"**There you are. Thanks, Emperor Cell. Milady's plan worked _perfectly_."**

"**You! Why did I think for a moment I could trust you!" I screamed at Cell as Sayjins swarmed on me. Cell just watch, stone face to all of it.**

"**Let me go!" I powered up, but I couldn't concentrate long enough to gain any power as I was overpowered by hundreds of Sayjins, "Dammit, let go!"**

"**You're going to prison, cousin. Your crimes against our Empress can't go unpunished." Kakorot laughed as a collar was snapped around my neck.**

"**Damn, not Ki suppressing collars again!" I snapped.**

"**You'll enjoy prison. If the rotten food doesn't kill you, your cell mates most likely will." Kakorot laughed as the soldiers dragged me off.**

**AS22: R&R!**

**Katie: you put me in jail!**

**AS22: Yeah, but don't worry, you can handle it.**

**Katie:…**


	18. Purgatory Prison

**AS22: The only prison in this universe, and lets just say it isn't sunshine and daisies. Man I love that phrase… R&R…**

**Katie: Before we forget, we have more Saya-jin in this chapter. If you don't get it, please tell us. Even I have trouble speaking it.**

**Chapter 18: Welcome to Purgatory Prison**

**The gates slowly opened on the wall. This was to be my new home, wherever I was. The 2 Sayjin soldiers didn't have to drag me, I saw that struggling was futile, for now. My arms were bound behind my back, and then there was the Ki-suppressing collar.**

**The building was huge and black, and the wall surrounding it was very tall with barbwire wrapped around the top. The place looked medieval. The walls were tall and made of large stone blocks. The grounds appeared nice, until I noticed that the red paint on the walls wasn't paint.**

"**I thought the Empress said there was no crime in her universe?" I inquired as the soldiers stayed on edge. They knew I was potentially a rival to the Empress, and they know exactly how powerful she is.**

"**There's no crime 'cause everyone is either killed or locked up at the first signs." The soldier to my left said.**

"**Guilty until proven innocent? How poetic." I said.**

"**Keeps people acting nicely. One strike, you're out. The Empress personally sees over every trial as judge. She decides what happens to the accused. We don't need many trials now because of her."**

"**Yeah, a 'do what I say or die' policy must work very well." I retorted.**

"**Enough talk outta ya both!" the soldier on the right finally commanded.**

**The large door before looked very thick and to be made of Dextryte. With this collar I'd be lucky to bruise my own hand on the door. The solider on the right punched in a code on a keypad and the door opened.**

**The halls were bright, hurting my eyes at first after all the dark skies I had passed. I was led to a small room and left alone. My legs were aching, so I decided to sit on my knees while I waited for whatever or whoever to come get me again. I didn't wait long, Empress Katrin came in after just a few minutes.**

"**You just don't know when to say die, do you?" she asked, walking in front of me like I was some sort of prize.**

"**And I won't until my son is safe in his own bed back home."**

"**My castle is his home now. When I'm gone he'll rule the universe."**

"**So you admit to being mortal?" I asked. She kicked me in the chin in response, knocking me backward into the wall. I sat up and grinned at her. I could taste blood in my mouth from her kick.**

"**You'll like it here in Purgatory Prison. I bet you'll meet some old friends of ours. They'll know you're not me, but after being in here for so long I bet they'll beat you just the same. You'll learn how it was for me for those long 10 years." She said, crossing her arms.**

"**I didn't plan on staying here that long." I said, standing up so I was eye-level with her.**

"**After those 10 years are up I'll end your pain. Tell me, how would you prefer to die?"**

"**I prefer the 'not' part." I sneered.**

"**We'll see. In 10 years you'll be begging for death."**

"**I've heard that before. And look, still alive." I said, looking head to toe at myself to emphasize.**

"**Shut up." she said casually. She grabbed my arm and led me out of the room, directly to the center of her prison.**

**There were 10 levels I could see, 7 above us and 2 below. There was a common room, like a lounge, directly below us at ground level. Most of the inmates were there, I figured. I couldn't see faces from my current position, but I noted Icejin and Namekians. **

"**Hello my dear prisoners!" Empress Katrin cried. They all turned but no one cheered. I almost laughed.**

**While she looked over her prey, I did as well. There were a few strong power levels. One came from a creature standing near the back of the room, leaning against the wall. All of the inmates were in black uniforms with their names printed on the back and a serial number. The collars were also part of the uniform, I noticed.**

**I took a good look, and saw that the creature in the back was someone I was very familiar with.**

"**Kooler?" I hissed.**

"**Shut up, you." she twisted on my arm. This time, I decided to comply.**

"**Whatever you say."**

"**This is Katie Briefs. I'm sure you all have heard rumor of my recent excursion to a parallel dimension? Well, this is what I picked up. She's my counterpart, a 'hero' in her world. Feel free to do as you like with her. But I'll warn you, if she is killed I'll personally see to it that the murderer isn't happy. That honor is mine alone. She'll be back once she's been… orientated."**

**I heard a few laughs from inmates. I looked over at them while I could. Kooler kept his eyes on me. I also saw some familiar faces, but as I was being dragged away I couldn't register who they were.**

**We walked through the little room I was in earlier and down a long narrow hall. One of the lights ahead cast a foreboding glow as it flickered on and off, darkening a portion of the upcoming hall.**

_**I hope Gohan will be okay… surely Mirai has figured by now that something has happened to me. I only hope they don't get caught. Katrin won't be so nice to them. And the damn collar… I can't warn them, it takes a small amount of Ki to use psychic power, and I have no access to my Ki.**_

"**Don't you love these collars? They're fashionable _and_ functional."**

"**I've dealt with collars before. I'll figure out a way to break this one too." I sneered. She twisted my arm again.**

"**Oh, I wouldn't do that. If you do your head will be blown off." She said with a humored tone to her voice.**

"**I noticed Kooler was in here as well. I thought you would have killed him by now. I probably would have if he hadn't already been dead in my universe. Though in death he has become a great rival of mine." I recalled**

"**Death was too good for him." she hissed, squeezing my arm again.**

_**Well now I know for sure he killed her parents as well…**_

"**We aren't so different, Empress." I said. She stopped walking.**

"**What do you know about me?"**

"**I know that if a few things had happened differently in my life I would be just like you are now." She started walking again.**

"**Of course, we are only reflections of the other. Opposite but similar." She growled.**

"**You think you scare me, but you don't. Any beatings I receive in your prison will only make me stronger. Once I do get out I'm coming for you and my son." I growled in reply.**

"**What about your friends? Won't you go after them?"**

"**They're all safe in my universe. I made it through the vortex just in time alone." I lied.**

"**And in vain. Your son belongs to me now. His programming has been altered." She had bought the lie.**

"**He is more than programming, just as Cell is." I snapped.**

"**You think you know my mate too. He is nothing like your friend. He is evil to the core, just like me."**

**We got to the end of the hall and there was a black door, unseen due to the blinking light. She opened the door and pushed me inside, to the floor.**

_**She really likes being on top of things.**_

"**Get dressed." She removed the restraints on my arms, "And be quick about it. Your name is already on your uniform. I'll stand right out here, and when you're dressed your orientation will begin." She laughed and closed the door behind her.**

**I got up and rubbed my wrists. In anger I showed the door who was number one with my middle fingers. I looked and saw a black uniform on the floor, folded neatly and waiting for me to pick it up.**

**It was a long black jumpsuit, a serial number on the front over the heart and on the back under the name. It was written in Saya-jin, but I could read that, just not speak it fluently. Empress Katrin had a real sense of humor, because the name was _Treegla_, which in Saya-jin means _Bitch_.**

**I got dressed and was just finished when Katrin impatiently burst through the door. **

"**Finished? Oh, and I'll take you _Kataro_ as well." she took my sword and tied it next to her own, "Let me guess, you named it something corny like destiny?"**

**(_Kataro_-sword)**

"**_Arina_ was my first sword. This one is _Shikara_."**

"**Hope? You seem hopeless as it is, I'm almost tempted to let you keep it. Almost." She grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the room.**

"**Why are you bothering to do all of this personally?" I asked.**

"**The honor is to be mine alone." She hissed.**

"**You know no honor, you have no… _rik-shla_." **

**(_Rik-shla_- honor)**

"**You can't even speak Saya-jin. Or should I say, _ka ikdy naal la'gul Saya-jin_?" She laughed. She repeated herself in Saya-jin for me.**

"**I know enough to get by. You don't have to repeat yourself in earth _la'gul_." I stated.**

"**Then you know what _Treegla_ means? Good."**

"**Yeah, I like the nickname, I know it'll stick." I retorted.**

"**Well you'll like the next part." She looked back at me and smirked. I knew that wasn't good.**

**AS22: What hell awaits Katie? Read to find out, and review to let me know what you think!**

**Katie: you stuck me with these idiots?**

**AS22: shhhh! Don't give too much away! R&R!**


	19. Day 1 in Hell

**Chapter 19: Day 1 in Hell**

**The memories raced back as the small streak of light came in through the small window. My muscles were sore, but I knew better than to try to go back to sleep now.**

**I was in Purgatory Prison, and I learned quickly through my orientation how things worked. No one would try to help me, the guards would sell tickets to the beatings I would receive. Top dog was whoever was strongest at the time, and as of now that was an Icejin by the name of Frigyd. He was easy to identify because his tail had been cut off years ago.**

**My orientation was a mention of a rule between whips with a chain, delivered by my darkling SSJ4.**

"_**Rule 1, no one will help you!"**_

_**Smack!**_

"_**Rule 2, the collar will blow your fricken' head off if you try to remove it! I recommend you don't."**_

_**Smack!**_

"_**3, there is no escape, so don't even try it. 4, an eye for an eye is in effect!" **_

_**Crack! Smack!**_

"_**Rule 5, coed everything. Your cell mate may be male, so get over it!"**_

_**Crack!**_

"_**Rule 6, solitary confinement is given for breaking rules."**_

_**Smack!**_

"_**And last, rule 7. Solitary confinement is given randomly as well."**_

_**Smack! Smack! Blam!**_

**My face was still swollen. One eye was blackened, and blood was visible on my black uniform.**

**I stayed still, but I opened my eyes. I was alone in my cell, so at least I could rest in peace at night.**

**I sat up and looked around. The thick metal bars on the window and door were Dextryte. Far across the open area was a cell that held an Icejin, who it was, I couldn't tell.**

**XxX**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Cell was called back to his mistress. They were alone. She had her back to him and Cell stood still, on guard in case she tried to attack him. He really couldn't blame her if she did.**

"**You went to see her again." Katrin said.**

"**Yes, I did." Cell responded.**

"**Why?"**

"**She confuses me. She speaks of love and of the power it possesses."**

"**You did so behind my back."**

"**Forgive me, my Empress."**

"**I will, my pet. This time." she responded. She never made eye contact with her mate.**

"**You… will?"**

"**_This_ time I forgive you. Next time, however…"**

"**I understand. How is the boy?"**

"**Confused. You better talk to him."**

"**As you wish." He bowed and left.**

"_**You let him live because you love him."**_

"**Maybe I do." Katrin responded to the voice.**

**XxX**

**1st P.O.V.**

**At breakfast my mind was sharper, so I thought on ways to escape. A few more days and I could get the routine down, then I could figure out the when and the how more precisely.**

**The gray blob on my metal tray jiggled as I walked past countless inmates, trying to find a safe corner to sit in. That was a luxury I wouldn't find. I fell forward, hitting the stone floor hard, and my tray echoing throughout the mess hall. I rolled to my back and looked up to see who tripped me, since I knew better than to think I had just tripped. I was the new kid, and with that speech yesterday I knew life in Purgatory wouldn't be easy.**

**The face stayed forward, but the tail was easy to identify. It was an Icejin, and the long scaly tail went up into the air as the head that eventually connected to it turned. My heart skipped a beat, the Icejin was Frieza. He was in his first puny form, and a scar trailed down his face, but it was him.**

"**Oops, sorry about that." The others at the table laughed with him.**

"**That's okay, I wasn't hungry anyway." I said, trying to stay out of trouble. I still had open wounds to heal before I got a fresh set so soon.**

"**What? A Sayjin, not hungry? Bitch must be sick." He retorted. I couldn't be sure if he meant that remark in reference to my nickname or not. I really didn't care all the same.**

**I stayed calm and started to walk away. I didn't want trouble. Their laughter rang in my ears, but I ignored it.**

**I past by different cliques of mixed races. One table was set up to the side, and one Icejin sat at it alone with gourmet food. I figured he was Frigyd. Ours eyes connected for a second as I passed him, but nothing was said. He was in the fourth form of the Icejin.**

**I got to an empty table in a corner and sat, turning toward the room so I could observe and think. I identified many people I had killed or fought back home. I also saw some good people I knew very well.**

_**Ginyu force… Zarbon… Dodoria… Guru? He's still alive? …Oh my gosh…**_

**I spotted 4 Sayjins I didn't expect to see in here, at least not in prisoner uniform. It was Bardock's team.**

_**Why are they in here?**_

**Bardock, my uncle, and Katrin's uncle and guardian. She told me he raised her, so why would she put him in here? Toma, Bardock's best friend and the second in command of the team. Seripa, the female, and the only other female Sayjin I had seen since arriving. I had often wondered if she and Bardock were mates. That would make her the mother of Raditz and Kakorot. Then there was a female Sayjin with Toma I didn't know. They were all at one table eating.**

**I sat in my corner and observed. My mind at one time wondered to the thought of asking them for help, but then rule 1 rang in my ears. I touched my arm where the chain so nearly snapped my shoulder into pieces.**

**XxX**

**When the time came we were all let outside for our free time. Again, I picked a place to one side where I could watch and stay out of the way. But my focus went from the other inmates to my feet once my thoughts went back to my family and friends.**

_**Man, I hope Gohan and Mirai are okay. I hope Codie is okay. Damn Cell, why did I trust him? I should know better…**_

**A shadow cast over my feet, and looking up received a kick in the chest. I fell over, grasping my ribs, gasping for air. Laughter seemed to come from everywhere as I stood up, holding the wall. The one who kicked me was a Namekian, and he wasn't laughing. He was Nail.**

"**Nail? Wh-"**

"**So you know who I am? You may not be the Empress, but you'll do to ease my pain! -" He punched me, making my head hit the wall. I slid down to the ground again, "Your counterpart killed my people! All that are left are in here but Daimoa!" he kicked me on the stomach while I was down.**

"**Nail, stop!" I pleaded.**

"**Why? Because you could kill me if I didn't?"**

"**I'm not going to fight you, Nail. I'm not like her. What would Guru think if he saw you right now?"**

"**I don't care! You killed my little brothers!" he screamed, kicking me again, harder this time.**

"**No, the Empress killed them. I wasn't there… I tried to protect Namek in my universe." I went to stand up again, "Attacking me won't bring back your family…"**

"**What would you know of loss?" he said, stopping his attack temporarily.**

"**The Empress has my son… my family is in another universe… my best friends are dead… is that enough, or would you like me to continue?"**

**In reply he kicked me again, but then he walked away. I was left alone again, for the moment.**

_**Everyone in here hates Empress Katrin… just looking like her is enough to be beaten… but I won't fight back, not now.**_

**I stood up again, trying to see if I could find a different hole to hide in. The wolves discovered the one I had been hiding in so far.**

"**Impressive display." This voice was new. It was deep and thick. It was the Icejin top-dog Frigyd.**

"**Glad someone approves." I said, standing on my own. I knew better than to show weakness in front of an Icejin.**

**He had two other Icejin with him. One was a female. I thought Icejin were asexual until this point. Though there wasn't much difference between the genders, the difference was the breasts and slightly sleeker and smaller build. The female didn't have horns, either. I couldn't guess what form she was in since I didn't know very much about the females, but it looked similar to the male's first form. The other male was in the huge second form.**

"**Are you as strong as they say?" Frigyd asked, looking me over.**

"**That depends on what they say." I retorted.**

"**They say you rival the Empress."**

"**I don't have Angel powers, if that's what you're thinking." I said.**

"**At least she's honest." The female said to Frigyd.**

"**What's your name?" Frigyd asked.**

"**Just call me Bitch, it doesn't matter to me."**

"**Is it true you're the Empress' counterpart from a parallel dimension?" the other male asked.**

"**Yeah, we're almost identical." I said.**

"**I like your character, kid. This is Artica," he pointed to the female, "and that's Frosty. You must know I'm Frigyd by now."**

"**Yeah. Did you want something, or are we done here?" I asked. I was suppressing hundreds of bad jokes.**

_**I've been hanging around King Kai too long…**_

"**As a matter of fact, I did want something. I overheard what you said to Nail. Join me for dinner tonight." He turned to go, and his little group wasn't far behind, "And that wasn't a request, Sayjin."**

"**Alright, lunch! Get inside you bastards!" the guards called. My stomach growled.**

_**Maybe this time I'll actually get to eat.**_

**XxX**

**I had my tray, and I had a path to a table on the far end of the mess hall. The only problem was that I had to pass by Frieza to get there. There was no way to get around him.**

**So instead, I faced him. I didn't plan on staying here long, but if I am here for a while I might as well settle things. I went to pass Frieza and I stopped just behind him.**

"**I bet you think your prank this morning was pretty funny, don't you Frieza?" I asked.**

"**Maybe I do." he replied.**

"**Wanna know what I think is funny?" I asked. He stopped eating and got up, turning to face me.**

"**What do you think is funny?" he growled.**

"**That once a long time ago I was scared of you. Then again, the Frieza in my dimension had reason to be feared once upon a time. The Frieza I fought was an almighty tyrant and he almost killed me. But now I see you, in a prison, captured by my counterpart, and I can't remember why I feared you."**

"**Hold your tongue, Bitch." He growled.**

"**Why? I'd rather rip yours out. That incident was all in good fun since I'm the new kid, but from now on if you wanna show off to your friends, meet me in battle." I said, starting to walk off again.**

"**Listen, Bitch, there's a certain packing order in this prison. Monkeys are at the bottom of the list."**

"**This monkey is strong enough to kill you, lizard man." I sneered.**

"**Prove it." he sneered in reply.**

"**I don't have to prove myself to you. I'm not a bad guy here. In my universe I'm a hero."**

"**That doesn't matter in here." Frieza sneered.**

"**Alright, that's enough." We both turned to see Kooler.**

"**Why should I listen to you, brother?" Frieza asked.**

"**Because she hasn't eaten yet. Let her eat in peace. You know how Sayjins get when they're hungry, they'll eat anything. Even an Icejin." Frieza turned around.**

"**This isn't over, Bitch." He growled.**

"**I will prove myself to you Frieza, just not yet."**

**I looked at Kooler, and he nodded to me.**

"**Come with me." he said, then he moved back toward the table I had previously picked out.**

**He sat down, and I started to eat. It tasted disgusting, but I was starving. The gray lump on my tray didn't fill me up, but it was enough.**

"**I can't believe you really just ate all of it." Kooler said.**

"**I haven't eaten in a few days." I replied.**

"**I guess I was right about hungry Sayjins." He said.**

"**Why did you help me? Isn't that against the rules?" I asked, scooting the tray out of the way.**

"**I don't give a damn about the Empress' rules." He said.**

"**The more things change, the more they stay the same." I thought aloud.**

"**Oh yeah, how's that?"**

"**You're almost exactly like the Kooler in my universe. I take it that means you killed the Empress' parents."**

"**Yes, I did. If I had known about her I would have killed her as well."**

"**Sounds like a good idea." I sighed.**

"**I don't believe she captured you. What happened?"**

"**I followed her back here to save my son. She has him in the castle. She wants him as her own."**

"**I see. You were captured once you came here."**

"**I was foolish. I was too trusting of Cell."**

"**Why would you trust that bastard?" Kooler asked.**

"**The Cell in my universe was my best friend. He sacrificed himself to save me. When I saw the Cell from this universe I thought I had my friend back. I was a fool. I knew they weren't the same person." My knuckles were snow white as I thought back.**

"**Your life in here will be miserable unless you show your strength."**

"**Yeah, well bluffing won't cut it. How do I do that?"**

"**The collars only limit your Ki usage so much. We can't transform, use Ki based attacks, fly, teleport, or use psychic power, but we can still power up."**

"**So why doesn't anyone try to break out?" I asked.**

"**We have been here much longer than you. We've tried, but no one can break the Dextryte. The Empress herself tested it at Super Sayjin 4 level. She couldn't break it."**

"**I've had trouble with collars and Dextryte before."**

"**Listen, I know Frigyd. Don't trust him."**

"**Thanks for the information, Kooler." I replied.**

"**Things are messed up between our dimensions." Kooler laughed, "A Sayjin thanking an Icejin."**

"**You haven't got a clue."**

**AS22: How will Katie escape? R&R!**


	20. The Rebels of the Darkling Universe

**Chapter 20: The Rebels of the Darkling Universe**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Mirai and Gohan had been hiding in the cave for more than a day, and Katie hadn't returned yet. They didn't like that.**

"**I don't like this. She should have been back by now."**

"**Yeah, but at least you found some clean water deep in the cave."**

"**I figured there had to be some in here somewhere." Mirai replied, "What's taking her?" Mirai said, walking the mouth of the cave. Gohan was leaning against the cave wall.**

**Gohan still wasn't recovered. The water was barely a mouth full. Both were dirty, tired, and hungry. Worrying over Katie and Codie only added to the bad situation.**

**The sky was dark, the stars were out, and Katie was still missing. Mirai wanted to go look for her, but also knew he couldn't leave Gohan.**

"**Gohan… do you hear something?" Mirai stopped pacing at the sound. It sounded like footsteps.**

"**I did, but not now." Gohan replied.**

**In a flash Mirai was knocked back and the mouth of the cave was surrounded. A laser pistol was pointed at his head. Mirai froze, fearing for his life. He looked up and saw the person holding the laser was human. The clothing was ragged, but it wasn't Sayjin armor.**

"**Don't shoot!" Mirai said. The people all around laughed.**

"**What's this? Prince Trunks asking us not to shoot?"**

"**What… I'm not Prince Trunks!"**

"**Mirai, they think we're the darklings." Gohan said.**

"**And Kakorot's eldest son here as well?" the speaker came into the cave. His bald head and third eye gave him away.**

"**Tien?" Mirai said. They all had Scouters.**

"**Sir, what do we do to them? Ransom or go ahead and kill them?" Mirai recognized the one holding the gun was just a kid.**

"**I don't know yet. On your feet." Tien yanked Mirai to his feet.**

"**I know this sounds crazy, but we're not the enemy." Mirai said, holding his hands up. He looked over to see Gohan unconscious again.**

"**Funny, you look like Trunks and Gohan." Tien retorted.**

"**We're not. If we were, why are we wearing human clothing?"**

"**You're right, you'd be spotted right away if you were trying to spy on us. I bet you don't even know who we are." Tien said.**

"**Sir, he called you by name." the kid said.**

"**He doesn't have a tail. Neither does Gohan. I bet you're from the vortex, aren't you?"**

"**Yes! We are!" Mirai said, relieved a little.**

"**This could work for us." Tien said, looking at Gohan, "Bill, get Gohan, we're going to take them to our camp."**

"**But sir!"**

"**That's an order, Bill!"**

"**Yes, sir." The kid known as Bill agreed reluctantly as he hoisted Gohan over his shoulder. Tien put an arm over Mirai's shoulders.**

"**Alright kid, you cooperate and nobody will get hurt. Agree?"**

"**Agree. Gohan needs some water badly." Mirai stated.**

"**Yeah, I noticed." Tien said as they started walking out of the cave, "So, what's it like in your universe?"**

"**Normal compared to this." Mirai said, looking toward the castles in the distance.**

"**Listen, just for our sake, we gotta blindfold you. You understand." Tien said as they walked up to a hovercraft of Sayjin origin. It was similar to a jeep from earth.**

"**Yeah, that's fine." Mirai agreed as he was helped into the craft, "By the way, how'd you know you could trust us?"**

"**This third eye ain't no tattoo. I got it when I reached enlightenment as a kid. I can tell when someone is lying to me." Tien said as Mirai's eyes were bound.**

**XxX**

**Every bump in the road made Mirai all the more nervous. If Katie came back she'd be alone and have no idea where he or Gohan had gone to. But under the circumstances, he really didn't have a choice.**

**Once the hovercraft stopped the blindfold was removed. Mirai's eyes fell on a small camp, barely 100 men visible.**

"**Alright, home sweet home, or some such bullshit." Tien said as he led Mirai toward the closest tent.**

"**How is this possible?" Mirai said, looking around.**

"**Easy, we got Bugs surrounding our base. The Bugs disrupt Sayjin Scouters. We've fixed up them so our own Scouters won't get screwed up by the Bugs. And since only a handful of people can sense Ki, we really don't have much to worry about." Tien said, taking off his own Scouter and taking a seat. Mirai sat across from him.**

"**What about Gohan?"**

"**He's in the med-tent. Just so you know, we got rehab-tanks in there too. They ain't the best, but it's better than using a M.A.S.H. all the time. Looks like you both could use a safe place to stay for a while." Tien said.**

"**Yeah. By the way, I'm not Trunks, not really anyway. I'm Mirai No Trunks. In our universe I came from the future to stop the androids."**

"**Oh, I see. They were evil, right? And then Cell absorbed them? That traitor. Gero built him to stop Kakorot, and instead he Bonds with _her_."**

"**Listen Tien, we have another friend. She disappeared yesterday looking for water. Her name is Katie Briefs, my wife. She's the counterpart of the Empress."**

"**Damn! Is she as powerful?"**

"**She doesn't have the Angel power, but she's strong."**

"**Well, I hate to tell ya, but there's a good chance you won't see her again. Either the heat, wild animals, or Sayjin soldiers got her. If it's the last one, she's probably dead."**

"**No, you don't know Katie. She won't die, she's too strong and smart for that. We're here to get our son back." Mirai said, squeezing the arms of the chair. The metal bent under the pressure.**

"**Sounds like you better explain what's been going on."**

**Mirai explained about how the learned of the vortex and how Empress Katrin and Cell stole away Codie.**

"…**Then you found us in the cave." Mirai concluded.**

"**Holy shit… sounds like paradise compared to here, though."**

"**Any idea why the Empress would take my son?" Mirai asked.**

"**Yeah, it's common knowledge over here, almost. A few years ago… HFIL, probably about 18 years, same age as your boy, the Empress was with child. It was stillborn."**

"**So then it's true. My mate Katie thought the same thing." Mirai said, shaking his head, "Losing a child…"**

"**Yeah, I can sympathize. The Empress killed Choazu."**

"**Geez, sorry Tien. You two were best friends, right?"**

"**He was almost a brother to me." Tien said, picking up his Scouter again.**

"**Even though our universes are supposed to be opposite, I'm seeing many similarities. Maybe this isn't just about us…" Mirai said, "Maybe… maybe this is how things would have been in our dimension if Frieza never destroyed this planet, but Katie- I guess I mean Katrin still got the Angel powers."**

"**They're still opposite in most ways, kid. If your wife is still alive, I know where she is. She'll be at Purgatory, the only prison in the universe."**

"**I don't like the sound of that." Mirai said.**

"**It's the highest security place on the planet, even more secure than the castles. But if she's as strong as you say, we needed to break her out. She'll be able to defeat the Empress." Tien and Mirai headed out of the tent, "Let's see how Gohan is doing. Then together we'll come up with a plan."**

**Mirai spotted Yamcha in the crowd, and he, along with most people, gave him a dirty look. They were confusing him with Trunks, so he didn't blame them for hating him.**

**The base was small, maybe an acre in total size. Tents were spread across the area for homes, meeting rooms, a med-tent, and supply storage. One fire lit in the middle was used for heating water and cooking.**

"**Here, catch." Tien tossed a canteen to Mirai, who started drinking from it immediately, "Careful with that, we can't afford to waste any of it. The only clean water comes from the castle to the cities."**

"**How'd you get hold of it then?" Mirai asked, playing suspicion.**

"**Stole it in a raid. On Planet Vegeta it's the only way."**

"**How'd you get here anyway?"**

"**We were all brought over as slaves at first. We escaped, that is, Yamcha, Krillen, Choazu, and me. We freed others, then slavery was abolished. We still fight the Empress, no matter how sugar-coated the truth becomes."**

"**She's hard to figure out. Then again, she is my mate's double. Katie can be a hand full sometimes." Mirai laughed.**

**AS22: How bad is this world? R&R!**

**Cell: it isn't that bad, you just haven't seen its beauty.**

**Katie: Cell! You're giving away the plot!**

**Cell: ooops…**

**AS22: (snicker) Cell said oops…**


	21. Proven

**AS22: finally, some action. Katie beats the _Jutir_ out of someone, bet you can't guess who!**

**Katrin: great, now she's speaking our language.**

**Katie: (turns to Katrin) well, she did write it.**

**Chapter 21: Proven**

**1st P.O.V.**

**The after lunch beatings were far worse than the pre-lunch beating Nail had given me. They were much worse, compare Raditz-to-Bebi-grade worse, and these guys wouldn't listen to reason. I could barely move when we were called in for supper, but I met with Frigyd at his table as he had requested.**

"**I see you still haven't fought back." Frigyd said when he had a good look at me. I smirked, still with pride.**

"**I haven't seen reason to fight back." I replied, leaning in close in hopes of our conversation being kept between the two of us.**

"**A Sayjin that doesn't like to fight?" he chuckled.**

"**Was there a reason you wanted to speak with me tonight?" I asked, pushing my luck.**

"**Yes, very well. You see, I know a way to keep you safe while you're here. It's a protection, you might say."**

"**Really? What is it?" I asked, sounding a bit too eager.**

"**Well, we exchange services," I felt something brush against the inside of my leg, and I knew it was his foot, "if you get what I mean. No one will hurt you if you're under my protection." His gaze was full of lust.**

"**Sorry, I was fucked by an Icejin once. I didn't much care for it." I said, standing to leave.**

"**You don't understand." He stood and grabbed my arm. The act knocked over his chair, catching everyone's attention, "It isn't a choice."**

**The room grew quiet as I stood there, Frigyd squeezing my arm. It was easy to tell he really was the leader of the pack around here. I jerked my arm away.**

"**Oh, I understand perfectly…" I turned to him, "You want me?" I asked, leaning in closer, "Then take me!" I drew back and punched him square in the face, sending him back to the wall.**

**Well, that definitely got everyone's attention. A crowd started to form around Frigyd, the wall, and me.**

"**You bitch!" Frigyd screamed as he stood.**

"**That's my name." I walked around the table and kicked my leg up, pinning him to the wall by his neck with my foot, "Now listen to me, I have far more power than you do, even if I can't transform. I fought against an Icejin in the fifth form in my younger days and lived. Now I'm older and stronger, and if you want to fight, I'll fight!" I backed away and started powering up, and I was amazed at my own power. I didn't realize how strong I was without transforming. My training with Gohan and Goten had worked.**

_**Gohan… I hope he's okay. I have to win so I can focus on escaping.**_

**The guards came and pushed everyone back, but they didn't try to stop the impending fight. Frigyd was powering up now as well.**

"**You have no idea who you're messing with, girl." Frigyd laughed.**

"**I've heard that line before." I said, smirking as my power got close to its artificial limits.**

**In a seemingly ironic crack of lightning from outside, I finished powering up and my blue-gold aura heated the air around me, comforting me. Nothing could harm me; nothing could stop me, yet I knew better than to believe that.**

**I also knew better than to play nice, but honor kept me from attacking while he finished powering up. I could hear every comment from the onlookers, and I did my best not to let those comments go to my head.**

"**She hasn't transformed, but she's so powerful!" Party 1 said.**

"**You idiot, she can't transform with the collar on." Party 2 replied.**

"**Yeah, but imagine if she _could_ transform." Party 3 commented.**

"**Yeah, Frigyd wouldn't stand a chance." Party 4 laughed.**

"**He's already lost." That voice caught my attention. I looked back, one eye on Frigyd, and saw Bardock standing on the 3rd level, looking down on the imminent fight. Seripa, Toma, and, the third unknown female, Pota, stood with him.**

"**Bardock?"**

"**If she really is the counterpart of the Empress, he's as good as dead." No one argued with him. He had raised Empress Katrin, which still confused me on how and why he was in here.**

**Bardock turned and left, not looking back. I noticed Toma out of the corner of my eye run off after him. Seripa stood on the upper level and continued to watch while Pota joined her.**

**I returned my full attention to Frigyd, who stood confident in his ability before me. I was more so confident because he couldn't sense Ki, but I could.**

**Without a word he charged me, fist flying forward, aimed at my head. So far the fight seemed to be moving in slow motion as he came closer. I heard the angry cheers, all in his favor. I didn't care.**

**Things sped up to normal once I caught his fist. I held it in my hand, and I didn't have to move to keep my balance. His eyes grew wide as I squeezed his fist tight, pushing him to the floor.**

"**Was that supposed to impress me?" I asked.**

"**Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing!" without warning something hit me in the chest, knocking me back. I stood up and shook my head to clear it.**

"**What? How'd you do that?" I asked once I could see straight.**

"**You didn't see that coming, did you?" he said as he stood, laughing, "We Icejin have a legend about lost limbs, especially when it comes to our tails. Its said when we lose our tail physically we don't lose it spiritually. In a way, I have an advantage because you can't see my tail." He grabbed the empty air to his left, as though holding an invisible portion of his tail.**

"**I don't believe that bullshit!" I cried as I charged at him again. Instant karma, you could call it, because in my anger I didn't sense Frigyd's tail come toward me. The unseen portion wrapped loosely around my neck, holding me still but not choking me. It looked like I was floating in mid-air, my feet dangling just inches above the floor. I grabbed at the area around my neck, trying to pry loose.**

"**Do you believe now?" he asked, smirking.**

"**Yeah, actually, I do." I said, "Now I have a question. Does it still feel pain?" I bit into the air hard, and I was dropped hard on my butt as Frigyd hissed in pain, "I'll take that as a yes." I said as I got up and jumped back.**

"**Your nickname suits you. I would prefer to know your real name."**

"**Alright then," I spoke up so everyone could hear me, "my name is Katie Briefs. I'm a Sayjin, and its true that I'm from another dimension and that the Empress is my counterpart. I don't like to fight if it is avoidable, but right now I'm pissed. Let's get this over with, Frigyd."**

"**My pleasure."**

**Fighting without Ki was something new to me. Ever since I came back to my home dimension I had an aptitude with Ki. I knew the Kamehameha Wave and the Gatlik Gun, I knew Demon's Halo and Gatlik Wave, and I knew Angel's Light and Rainbow Harpoon. But that knowledge wouldn't help me now, right now I needed punches and kicks.**

**I dug in my feet as I took a posture. I didn't know anything about most Icejin tactics, only what I knew about Frieza and Kooler. I did know from past experience that they don't play nice.**

**Frigyd laughed, and he hadn't taken a posture of his own yet. I knew he was either cocky, or this wouldn't be easy.**

"**Mind sharing?" I asked.**

"**You think you stand a chance." He replied.**

"**Arrogant fool!" I snapped, and he stopped laughing. I didn't understand that, but he shook it off.**

"**Arrogant, am I? You're the one who's arrogant. You haven't had much experience fighting Icejin, have you?"**

"**Actually I have. I fight with Kooler in my universe all the time. We're rivals, you could say."**

"**Then why are you taking such a pose? That won't help you."**

"**I'm taking a pose because we can't use Ki, so I'm preparing for a punch or kick of some sort." I growled. He only laughed again.**

"**Icejin prefer tail tactics, dumb bitch. And since you can't see mine, how do you plan to defend?"**

**I was hit across the face and knocked to the ground. He hit me with his invisible tail again.**

_**He's right, I can't win like this.**_

**I got back up and stood tall, bluffing a little as I acted unfazed. But again I was hit, thrown to the ground.**

"**Give up bitch, you can't fight if you can't see."**

"**You think an ex-Angel like me can't fight without seeing?" I asked. I closed my eyes, feeling him out.**

"**Do you submit? I think she does!" Frigyd said, calling to the crowd. Some people laughed, but again I ignored the laughter.**

"**No, I don't submit. Come at me, I'll take you."**

"**Without your eyes? Fine, this will make defeating you more satisfying."**

**I kept my eyes closed and felt him out. I felt his tail come toward my head on the left, so I reached out and grabbed it.**

**I didn't open my eyes, I didn't need to. I whipped the tail up in the air, lifting Frigyd off the ground, and then I slammed him to the floor, hard. I opened my eyes to see what I had done. Frigyd wasn't moving, and I could see the dent part of his invisible tail left on the floor.**

"**What, are we finished?" I asked, kicking his foot to check. He was unconscious, but alive.**

"**She beat Frigyd. Bitch beat Frigyd!" I heard someone call out. I snapped my head toward the crowd.**

"**I told you all, my name is Katie. From now on, the only one who can call me Bitch is… Kooler." I said, smirking. Kooler walked over now as the crowd left.**

"**You proved yourself very well. Even I have had problems beating him." Kooler said, smirking, "Why am I the only one who can call you bitch?"**

"**Your counterpart in my universe called me a bitch the first time we met. I showed him his place that time. It's like my nickname from him." I said, smirking at the memory.**

"**We'll have to spar sometime."**

"**I don't plan on staying here that long." I said, turning away. I was hungry and supper was still being served.**

"**Not so fast, princess." I turned and was grabbed by two guards.**

"**Hey! What'd I do?" I cried, trying to break free. I couldn't, and I couldn't figure out why.**

"**You're being sent to solitary confinement." This guard was a race I was unfamiliar with, but he looked like a dog in the face.**

"**What rule did she break?" I looked back to see Kooler once again.**

"**That's none of your business, lizard."**

"**She was only defending herself." Kooler replied.**

"**Are you trying to _help_ her? You know what happens when you try to help, don't you?" the raspy-voiced Sayjin guard on my left asked.**

**I looked at Kooler, hoping he was trying to help me. I knew he could stop these guys, even though I couldn't for whatever reason.**

"**No, I'm not trying to help her." He replied, walking away.**

"**Yeah, that's what I thought." The dog-faced guard said.**

"**Kooler! Kooler! Don't be a coward!" I called, but he kept walking away. No one else made a move to help.**

_**Dammit, now what have I gotten myself into? Maybe I should have just fucked him… no, how could I even think that? I'd lose my pride, my honor… what would Vegeta think of me? Or Mirai, Codie, or Goku? Or Cell… I'm a fighter, that's all there is to it. I can't give up.**_

**I didn't fight the guards though, I couldn't.**

**_Why can't I power up again? Is it the collar? Damn the collar! Why didn't I see this? I used Ki, and I probably can't use anymore for a set time. Dammit! I should have thought about that…_**

**We went through many halls and past many cells, deeper into the prison that I had fathomed to exist. I was reminded of a line from _The Phantom of the Opera_, near the end I believe.**

_**Down once more to the dungeons of my black despair…**_

**On an elevator, I was going down, deep into the planet's core, down toward a hell for all I knew. I was terrified already, but I couldn't show that off.**

"**I'm getting the creeps just coming down here." the Sayjin guard said, "How about you, bitch?"**

**In response I kicked him in the gonads. His partner laughed as he hunched down in pain.**

"**I told you only Kooler is allowed to call me by that name."**

**The elevator stopped suddenly and the doors opened. It smelt of dank dirt and blood. The hall was lit by a series of torches, archaic at best but it fit the mood.**

**The third door was wide open, I guessed to let the guards know which were occupied. I was tossed in, and before I could react the door was slammed shut. A little slit opened in the door, torchlight streaming in except for the dog-headed guard's head outline.**

"**Hope you like it in there, _Katie_. If you're lucky we'll be back in the morning." He laughed, and the slit closed. The room was pitch black.**

**I started to panic, in a rush I hit the door, pounding on it.**

"**Open up! Let me out! Let me out right now!" I screamed, hitting the door harder and harder.**

**My instincts screamed at me to flee, so in panic I ran to the opposite wall. The room was just barely wider than I was. I hit that wall, but I couldn't break free.**

**I moved and hit the next wall quickly. I howled, I screamed, I hammered the walls, but nothing worked. Finally the scent of my own blood stopped me. I had bloodied my own hands trying to get out of this tomb, but I couldn't.**

_**It's funny that tombs are never far from my mind… no, not funny…**_

**I felt for a wall and slid to the cold damp floor, sitting and hugging my knees. Sayjins are claustrophobic, as I've mentioned before. We're wild creatures that love to run in open space, but I was trapped in a room so small that I couldn't stretch out my legs.**

_**I've got to stay calm… it's dark and tiny, but nothing can get to me… there's plenty of air… lots of air… I'm not afraid of the dark… I could smell anything is something did get in here… Kais, I hope Codie, Mirai, and Gohan are okay. They have to be better off than I am.**_

**The room suddenly felt smaller.**

_**Stay calm!**_

**The air felt stale.**

_**There's plenty of air!**_

**It felt very hot.**

_**Is it hot?**_

_**I have to stay calm…**_

**I had lost my resolve before. I had panicked. I lost my memory due to this, but I had to stay calm now or all was lost. Usually Goku would put his hand on my shoulder and tell me it would be okay. Vegeta would reassure this by saying we'd kill the bastard who had wronged us, or Mirai would say we'd rescue our friend/family member. But now I was alone, and my own fear was getting to me.**

**_I have to stay calm… but for once I am alone. No friend or ally knows where I am… even when I fought Roxx I had Goku, Vegeta, and Mirai to help. They were only in spirit… but no one is here to lend me their spirit. Damn, I even had all of reality on our side of the wall with me I spirit. I've never _truly_ been alone._**

**I did the only thing I knew I could do to stay calm.**

"**_Angel of Music! Guide and guardian! Grant to me your glory! Angel of Music! Hide no longer! Secret and strange angel…_"**

**It was _Angel of Music_ from _The Phantom of the Opera_, a song I knew well. I use to sing it when I was human when I was lonely. I needed it once more, and I hadn't even thought of it in decades. So in the darkness, I sang. It kept my mind off the small room, off any other worries I had, and it kept my breathing regulated. I sang and stayed calm.**

"**_Father once spoke of an angel, I use to dream he'd appear. Now as I sing, I can sense him, and I know he's near._" Ironic that an ex-Angel sang about an angel, but it kept me calm nonetheless.**

**_I wonder if I could do a rewrite of _Phantom_ using Mirai, Cell, and myself? That would be… weird, but interesting._**

**AS22: Why are Bardock and his team in prison? What kind of torture does Katrin have in mind for Katie next?**

**Katie: R&R to find out! I mean it, I know where Angel hides Chi-chi's frying pan!**


	22. Meanwhile

**Chapter 22: Meanwhile, in our Universe**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Our Dimension**

**Vegeta stood calmly, leaning against one of the walls of the Lookout while Goten and Trunks explained what had happened to Supreme Kai and Old Kai, who had only just arrived.**

**The Supreme Kai, who usually isn't all the busy, happened to be off elsewhere when the vortex opened. Old Kai, to tell the truth, had fallen asleep. But then you must remember he is old.**

_**Damn that Katrin, going off like that. That seems like something I might have done in my younger days. Now she's trapped. She better not die, I don't know if the Dragonballs could bring her back from the Darkling universe.**_

_**She's bound to find allies, and she has Gohan and Mirai with her. She'll succeed in her mission… she will.**_

"**Vegeta?" Supreme Kai looked over at Vegeta, in his usual pose, who snapped out of his thoughts abruptly.**

"**Yeah, what do you want?" he asked uncaringly, back to his old guise.**

"**Can you sense Katie? Or perhaps Mirai, Gohan, or Codie?" Supreme Kai asked. Vegeta growled and shook his head.**

"**No, I can't. That wall must be too thick."**

"**Well technically the hole is still in the wall." Old Kai said.**

"**What?" Goten asked, shocked, as were the others.**

"**You see, the portal hasn't completely closed. It is still cracked."**

"**And how can that help us?" Vegeta asked, lowering his arms.**

"**We can't go through, but because the balance is still upset someone could teleport through the hole back to our side."**

"**Then get to it already." Vegeta demanded.**

"**As Kais we're bound to this universe." Supreme Kai said.**

"**Only Katie could teleport out of there." Old Kai added.**

"**What happens if she can't?" Vegeta asked, walking closer.**

"**Then I'm afraid bad stuff will happen throughout all of reality." Old Kai said, eyes closed in deep thought.**

"**Like what, ancestor?" Supreme Kai asked.**

**Old Kai got really serious and held his chin in thought. All eyes were focused on him as he thought.**

"…**I don't know." Everyone on focus fell over at the response, "Well I might be a Kai, but I don't know everything!"**

"**Do Kanji or Andy know how to teleport?" Goten asked.**

"**No, they don't." Trunks answered.**

"**Gods damn it all!" Vegeta cried, showing emotion for the first time since Katrin, Kakorot's spawn, and his alternate-future son had vanished through the vortex.**

"**We'll think of something, dad." Trunks said, the only one brave enough to confront the rampaging bull of the Sayjin royal line.**

"**_Katrin_ always thinks of something…" Vegeta corrected.**

"**That's right, Vegeta, and she will this time. Maybe, for once, she can do it all alone."**

"**She's always done things by herself, whelp." Vegeta growled in response to Kakorot's younger offspring.**

"**No Vegeta, she's always had you or Goku or Piccolo to help her. _The_ _council_ made sure of that." Supreme Kai, in an unusual act of anger, spat at the name of the three who he had long ago decided weren't the omnipotent gods he thought they were. It was all politics, even with the gods.**

"**Can she really do it alone?" Trunks asked. Nobody answered the demi-Sayjin's question right away.**

_**She's proven herself over and over again. She's almost a legend, even compared to Kakorot. I see why he chose her to protect earth and not me or one of his sons.**_

_**Those tortures Roxx inflicted on me were grueling… horrifying… excruciating. Yet she went through all of that and more for a full seven-day. I can't see how… I have to admit, one more session like that could have- would have broken me. Only my own pride- my stubbornness kept me from breaking that first day. Nothing Frieza ever did to me can compare to that one-hour torture session. But I was always with her telepathically.**_

**All Sayjins are connected by a link of the mind, even if they aren't related in the most freely accepted term of family member. He could always sense Goku when he was growing up on earth. Once Katie appeared on the battlefield that fateful day he was shocked to see her, not that she was a female warrior, but a _Sayjin_ female warrior. He felt alone now. Goku was on another plane of existence, and the demi-Sayjins had human blood that weakened the bond. For once, Vegeta truly felt alone, and it scared him.**

"**She can, and she will." Vegeta said, "There is obviously nothing we can do now, so we might as well go home."**

"**But dad-"**

"**We can't help, we have to trust Katrin. I know I trust her with my life, and I have in the past. I'd advise you to trust her as well."**

**Vegeta took off in a run and jumped off the edge of the Lookout, heading back to West City.**

"**Wow, I don't believe it." Goten said, staring after Vegeta.**

"**What?" Supreme Kai asked.**

"**My father admitted to trust." Trunks replied.**

**AS22: Another chapter done… arrg!**

**Cell: what now?**

**AS22: I lost…**

**Katrin: yes, its true, though Angel is good at DBZ budokai 3, she still doesn't have all of the characters. If anyone can help in the locating of Omega Shenron, please help us!**

**AS22: I'll show you! (pulls out frying pan)**

**Cell, Katie, Katrin, Vegeta: No! (grab Angel and frying pan)**

**Cell: you'll break your PS2, then what will you do on the weekends?**

**AS22: (calm) yeah… you're right…**

**Katie: (sighs) R&R!**


	23. An Unlikely Ally and surprise

**Chapter 23: An Unlikely Ally**

**1st P.O.V.**

**Darkling Dimension**

"**_In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came…_" I had no idea what time it was, all I knew was that this was my 6th or 7th time singing through _The Phantom of the Opera_. I was back near the beginning again, singing the title song.**

"**It isn't helping anymore. Now what? I can't lose my calm. The Empress wins if I do."**

**I didn't let inner monologue matter anymore since I was alone. They say that talking to yourself is okay as long as you don't answer yourself. Another few hours in this dark hellhole and I might cross that line.**

**I got up, feeling out my whereabouts, though it wasn't like I'd trip and fall. The room was barley wider than I was.**

**I started pounding on the wall again, but once more I was alone and no one answered. I leaned against the back wall and stared at the door, begging it to open.**

**Screams passed by the door, and by scent it was a human. Another one sent to solitary confinement.**

"**Poor bastard." I muttered, "It's bound to be day by now, unless snoring too loud is damnable. Knowing Empress Katrin, it is."**

**I heard the squeal of the hinges before I saw the light. Hours in pitch darkness made any light, even soft torchlight, sting my eyes. I felt the hands grab at me before I saw who it was.**

**Once out of the damned room, I let out a huge sigh of relief. The face of the creature that had freed me made me suck the air back into my lungs. It was the grand Emperor known as Cell.**

"**Damn you, why are you here?" I hissed, smacking his hand away.**

"**Be quiet, no one else knows I'm here. Unlike your friend, I am a shape-shifter. Gero thought it best if I could disguise myself when fighting against Kakorot. No one knows I'm here."**

"**And why are you here?" I growled, baring my canine teeth.**

"**I am willing to arrange you a means of freedom, if you are willing to take it." he said.**

"**Why should I trust you? You betrayed me once already, and you're betraying your mate now."**

"**Don't ask me to explain it, because I can't."**

"**I don't need your help to escape." I growled.**

"**You'll need all the help you can get. This is Planet Vegeta, and once the Empress knows you've escaped you'll be hunted from Srath to Jutir."**

**(Heaven -- hell)**

"**I think I can handle it." I said, remembering my Saya-jin.**

"**Incase you change your mind…" Cell went behind me and the collar started to wiggle. He was adjusting it. I didn't like that he was behind me.**

"**What are you trying to do, blow my head off?"**

"**Who do you think created these collars? Now hold still… there."**

"**What did you do?" I asked as he came back around.**

"**All I could do by honor to my mate. I have made it so you can use your telepathy. If you wish for my help in escaping, we can communicate now. But only the two of us."**

"**Why should I trust you?" I growled, "How do I know the Empress didn't set me up? How do I know my head won't explode if I try it?"**

"**You have no guarantees, but please, trust me. I'm all your hope right now. Would you trust the Cell from your universe?"**

"**With my life." I sighed.**

"**Then trust me like you would trust him. I didn't set you up Katie, I didn't know Kakorot was following me. Now get back in that damn box of a room, the real guard will be here soon."**

"**I am _not_ going back in there!"**

"**If you don't now, you might get stuck in there for an even longer time. I can sense him coming. Trust me."**

**I don't know why I trusted him, I was a fool. But something in his eyes… it reminded me so much of my best friend.**

**I complied, though I wasn't one bit happy. The little window on the door slid open, and I could see Cell's eyes shine through. They weren't so dark red anymore.**

"**Don't tell anyone I was here, and don't act weak. Don't let them know this box scared you, or you'll be sent in again and again. If you change your mind and want my help, just call out mentally. Only I will receive your thoughts. I promise."**

"**Right, whatever." I said as the little window shut.**

_**Okay, he said the guard was coming… the guard is coming… why isn't the guard here yet!**_

**Every second stretched out into hours as I waited.**

_**Cell… what is he up to? Why would he help me?**_

**The memory of the kiss popped into my mind.**

_**My kiss… could he have felt something besides hate for once? Maybe he just wants me as a pet. To question me about love and hate some more.**_

**The memory of the kiss the Cell in our universe popped into my mind.**

_**I was a lot like Emperor Cell when I was kissed then. I didn't know of love, didn't care either. I was a warrior, a Sayjin fighting for her people. That's exactly what he is doing now!**_

_**He's figured it out. He knows this world isn't as good as it looks. He knows the only way to fix it is to stop his mate, and only I could do that.**_

_**Then again, I'm getting ahead of myself. I don't know if I can stop her or not. I don't know if that's the reason Cell wants to help me.**_

_**I can't trust him. I can escape without his help.**_

**The door latch squeaked at the action of someone opening the door. I leaned against the back wall like I didn't have a care in the world, bluffing my resolve as the same two guards pulled me out of the room.**

"**How was it, _Katie_?" the dog-faced guard asked, making sure to say my name with malice.**

"**A little cramped, but I slept just fine. Nice and dark and quiet." I said, trying not to overact the part. I felt the Sayjin guard shiver as we walked back up hall toward the elevator.**

**When we got back to the aboveground levels the sun was high in the sky, and it was eerie in the cell halls with the silence.**

"**You're lucky, you get to eat your lunch before the others, then you're locked in your quarters until work tonight."**

"**What kind of work?" I asked suspiciously.**

"**The Empress has a special job picked out just for you, don't worry." The Sayjin guard chuckled.**

"**Lucky me." I sighed.**

**I went into the mess hall and had a booger-green blob slapped onto my tray. It looked rock hard and crunchy.**

"**What the hell is that?" I asked.**

"**I don't know. It was dead, so I cooked it." the cook said, laughing.**

"**Yummy." I said, making myself eat it before I had to go back to my quarters. I had to keep my strength up, no matter how disgusting or revolting the food was.**

**XxX**

**AS22: Okay, loyal readers, my surprise! Remember, I said I had one? Well, here it is, a sneak peak of New Destiny 10, _Control_.**

**XxX**

**(During the training with Piccolo, so you're not totally confused)**

**New Destiny- Control:**

"**Alright kitten, aim at the target like I showed you."**

**I had my bow and arrows, and I had aim on a marker.**

"**How's my form?" I asked.**

"**Both eyes open. Use your index finger to help aim." Mychal said.**

**I did, and when he didn't respond, I took that as a good sign. I aimed and fired. I was off by a few inches.**

"**Better. I can't believe Piccolo gave you a weapon you couldn't use."**

"**How was he to know? But I don't see how this will help me with my… other problem."**

"**You need focus for control, and you need focus to fire an arrow."**

"**Training hard, kid?" I looked over and saw Piccolo. He was walking toward us, no greeting, just his usual sour face.**

"**Yeah, I am. Kattalia told** **me about Gohan. I know where he should be. Now, if he's actually there…"**

**"But your knowledge of the future-" **

**"I've witnessed changes. The** **way I saw this world was without me. Now that I'm here, things have altered."**

"**Where's the boy?" Piccolo asked.**

"**Well, I don't know the exact place, but there was a town on the coast near Mt. Paoz that was hit by a tidal wave a while back. He should be there with a bunch of other kids. If he isn't, he's on his way home." I said.**

"**Kattalia told me what happened." He looked to Mychal. He nodded and left, "She said you lost control completely."**

"**Yeah, I did. And I was doing so well. I thought I had it under control. I was wrong."**

"**One of the harshest lessons to learn it the lesson of jumping the gun. You thought you had won, so you let your guard** **down."**

**"I realized that last night." **

**"Just be** **proud that you figured it out so quickly." Piccolo said, "I better go find the brat. And remember, mortals are in danger when they leave this hollowed ground, even me. Don't." then Piccolo took off.**

**Mychal came back over and picked out another arrow for me.**

"**You know, I think he might like you." Mychal said as I started to take aim. I let down the bow and looked at him.**

"**Piccolo? Liking me? I doubt that."**

"**Well, he did bring you here, and he's been checking on you, right?"**

"**We have a common goal to reach in 8 months. If we don't, you can kiss earth goodbye. That's it." I said as I started to aim again.**

**My ears** **picked up a small sound, and immediately I 'zoomed in' past the target. A herd of antelope, the same as the other night, was 100 meters past the target. I saw a small one straying from the group.**

**"Alright kid, aim and fire like last time, but to the left a bit more." **

**I didn't listen to Mychal. The hackles on my tail came up as I growled. I aimed at the antelope.**

**"Kid? Kitten? Hey-"**

**I fired the shot, but I missed the antelope. The herd took off in a run, attaining my interest even more. I dropped the bow and ran off after the herd, chasing down my prey.**

**Mychal's calls were lost to me as I ran. I leaped over a fallen log and ducked under a low tree branch. I jumped on top of an antelope and started to tear its skin and flesh apart.**

**_The blood… the meat… muscle, fat, organs… it's so… so good…_**

"**Kitten?" I looked over to the intruder and growled. It was Kattalia, and she looked scared, "Growl at me all you want, but look at what you're doing."**

**I turned and took another mouthful.**

"**Kattalia?" Mychal had finally caught up with his sister. He saw me and his jaw dropped open.**

_**They might take my meat… I better watch them…**_

"**She's… she's completely lost it. Don't move, she might attack us. You remember what Piccolo said about Son Goku."**

**_Goku? Piccolo? Wait…_ **

**I stopped eating and look at them. **

**_Kattalia… Mychal…_ **

**"What…" I looked down at the dead beast. I stood up and backed away. I saw blood all over my arms and chest.**

"**Kitten?"**

**I puked, and then fell to my knees. I didn't cry, instead I just looked at the dead animal, and then to Kattalia and Mychal.**

"**I... I did it again… only this time…"**

"**It'll be okay." Kattalia said.**

"**No… it won't. No matter what I do… I'll always be a… an animal."**

**I turned and ran, deeper into the woods, further from the demons and the dead animal. Further and further I ran, into the woods where my animal instincts could be used to their full extent.**

**XxX**

**AS22: So, what do you think? It is worth posting soon? It'll be about 3 stories from this one. R&R!**


	24. Plans

**Chapter 24: Plans**

**Think of something really gross. Think of something that makes your stomach churn just at the thought of it. Think of the smell of rotten garbage, the sight of squashed gray matter (which I have seen), and the sound of nails on a chalkboard. Got the image? Good, because my job was more foul and more disgusting than all that put together.**

**My job was cleaning the torture chamber, which, by the way, had never been cleaned. The blood was caked onto the walls, floors, and ceiling. Pieces of dead skin, horns, finger nails, teeth, fur, muscles, every thing that could be beaten off your body was in there.**

**The walls, I was told, use to be white. Now they were painted with shades of red, green, purple, and black. Namekian, Sayjin, human, and Icejin blood. Scorch marks were fresh on the walls, and then they weren't so fresh.**

**The last thing was the fact that I had to clean it all by sheer elbow grease. I had a couple of rags and that was it, not even a bucket of water.**

**But the worse part was the fact that I _finished it_. I had to or I'd be stuck in here until I had finished. That Sayjin guard was right, the walls were white.**

**It took me 6 hours, and by the time I had finished it was dinnertime. Somehow the thought of food didn't appeal to me.**

**I took a seat at the far back wall away from the food. I didn't get any crude remarks or beatings or even an ugly look, but I was too tired to care. I lied when I said I slept well in solitary, the truth is I didn't sleep at all.**

"**Hey, mind if we join ya?" the eyes that met mine were those of a Sayjin. His messy hair, exactly like his younger son's, his scar, and the red bandana gave him away. Toma, Seripa, and Pota were with him.**

"**Sure thing, Bardock." I said. They all gathered around and sat at the table with me. I couldn't look at their trays for fear of losing my lunch.**

"**Heard you prefer the company of Icejin to Sayjin." Toma said.**

"**Not at all, it's just the way things have gone. I prefer to be alone, actually."**

"**Why's that?" Seripa asked.**

"**Because I am alone." I said.**

"**It depends on how you look at things." Bardock said.**

"**How do you see things?" I asked.**

"**I see a world that needs an _Amfel_. And I know where to find one."**

"**I can't help you there. I have my own universe to look after. All I need to do is rescue my son and find my mate and cousin."**

"**_Ka val a guun_?" Pota asked.**

**(You have a son?)**

"**Yeah, he's _gref-a'et_." I replied.**

**(18)**

"**So you do know some Saya-jin." Bardock commented, "I thought all you could speak was that damn earth speech."**

"**I know enough to say, _me ta Tiom gha ore_, R, _urr ser'ta iz mi luun_." I said.**

**(I am SSJ4 and your sister is my mom.)**

"**_Wazz urr luun. Kooler dre'dlass sra_." Toma said.**

**(Was your mom. Kooler killed her.)**

"**I know, it's the same in my universe." I replied.**

"**So who raised you?" Bardock asked.**

"**Humans. Never knew I was a Sayjin until I met with Raditz." I said truthfully.**

"**How could you not know? You had a tail." Pota said.**

"**No… I didn't. It's a long story, but I was raised in another dimension. Sayjins didn't exist there, so I was made human until I came of age."**

**The doors to the open grounds opened, letting in sunlight and letting out the first few inmates for recreation. No doubt beating me again.**

"**Finally, let's get out of here." Seripa said, standing up. I didn't move, I was waiting for most of the inmates to go out before I went.**

"**You coming, Bardock?" Toma asked as Pota and Seripa went ahead.**

"**Go on, I'll be out in a minute." He said, "How about you?"**

"**What about me?" I asked back.**

"**Are you going outside?" he clarified.**

"**I'm waiting for others to go first. Makes it easier to slip out in a crowd."**

"**Katrin- you're not Katrin, sorry-"**

"**No, its okay. Call me Katrin if you want." I said.**

"**Alright. Katrin, I'm not asking you to change our _Voyin_, but you want your _guun_ back, and the only way to get him back is to stop her."**

**(Universe -- son)**

"**I know." I said.**

_**I have to save Codie, and I'll have to face the Empress eventually to save him. Goku would try to stop her…**_

"**She wasn't always like this." Bardock said, staring off at the wall.**

"**She wasn't?"**

"**She was a loving person and a great kid. She was Planet Vegeta's strongest _Tseer_. I gave her this when she first discovered her _Amfel_ Powers." Bardock brought out a chain from under his jumpsuit. The pendant was a crystal angel, but one of the wings was broken.**

**(Warrior -- angel)**

"**What happened?" I asked.**

"**Power. She had absolute power, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. You must know I have visions, right?"**

"**Yeah, I do. So did your niece and me."**

"**I saw her ruling the universe, which at first I didn't think was bad. She was my _ser'funn_, my niece. I had raised her. But then I had a different kind of vision. This one was more metaphoric than most. It was Katrin sitting on a throne. The throne was made of blackened bones and blood oozed out from under it. I saw my niece ruling as an _iveel'hreth_ tyrant, an evil tyrant. I'll admit to it, it scared me shitless." He sighed.**

**(Niece – evil tyrant)**

"**She started out with good intentions, though, right?"**

"**When she got control of her new powers she started her empire. At first everything was fine. She wanted to keep the kinds of things that happened to her from happening to anyone else. That's still true. But the longer she ruled without question, the bolder she became. She locked away Icejin lords and Namekian elders. They could pose a threat."**

"**So what happened between the two of you?"**

"**When I had my vision I confronted her. She didn't take it well. She said family should stick together no matter what. We fought, and there was no question she could win, and of course she did. She had this angel pendant for years and it never got broken. She never took it off. But after she defeated me she took it off and threw it at my feet, chipping the wing."**

"**How about Raditz? Where is he?"**

"**He stuck with her, just as Kakorot and his sons did." Bardock didn't like the way things were going, I could see it in his eyes. He knew this wasn't right as much as I knew.**

"**When was all of this?"**

"**About 17 years ago."**

"**I know why… she lost a child."**

"**What?" Bardock stared into my eyes. He had no idea.**

"**She lost a child at birth. That's why she took my _guun_." I sighed.**

**(Son)**

"**The universe was so nice before that. Almost like a utopia or something. When I tried to fight her she locked my team up with me." Bardock concluded.**

"**She was mad with grief, even now… she isn't evil, just depressed and angry. Maybe even a little deranged." I thought aloud.**

"**We need to get you out of here." Bardock said.**

"**I know. Let me think on it. I may have an idea in the works. Does this place have any horses?"**

"**Horses? What's that?"**

"**It's an earth creature. You can ride them. They have four legs and stand about as tall as a man."**

"**You really didn't get to live any of your life on Planet Vegeta, did you? We don't have horses, but we do have _Ayokii_." **

"**_Ayokii_? Yeah… I remember something like that." I was referring to the illusion once more.**

"**You'll have to see them to believe them. They're the most powerful, beautiful creatures ever to be tamed. But why do you ask?"**

"**If I can get hold of some _Ayokii_, I can get away and lead the guards on a wild goose chase." I said, thinking out loud.**

"**If it works. No one has ever escaped from Purgatory Prison."**

"**I know what I'm doing. I hope. Give me a while to think."**

"**I trust you know what you're doing. I wish you luck with this plan of yours." Bardock said, heading out to the sunlit pit.**

"**Hey, don't you want to get out of here too?" I asked, smirking. Bardock raised an eyebrow.**

"**I thought you preferred to be alone." he asked.**

"**I need help, and you'll be able to be free at the same time. What'd ya say? You and your team help me escape."**

"**I think you're crazier than my niece." He replied.**

"**That's what I'm hoping on."**

**Bardock smirked and walked out into the light. I smiled to myself. A plan was coming together, and I'd be able to save Codie. We could all go home soon and try to forget this place.**

_**All I need is Cell to come through. Man, I hope all his talk of trust means something. If not, we're screwed.**_

**AS22: what do you think? Was it good and gross? Will the gang escape? Will anyone help me on DBZ Budokai 3? R&R!**


	25. Action

**AS22: beforeI forget, Ayokii is disclaimed. I didn't take it from anyone, its mine, okay? now onward!**

**Chapter 25: Action**

**3 days later**

**I was sitting in my cell again, waiting for morning light. As soon as we were out to shower (the one thing not coed) I'd pass on my message to Seripa, who'd pass it on to Bardock and the others. I was trying to keep any suspicion from being brought up, so I didn't hang around them like I was a new pack member. I stayed solo unless perhaps Kooler wanted to talk. I owed him, both as a friend and in a way, my rival, freedom as well, so it would be the 6 of us.**

**XxX**

**We were in the public showers, basically one large showerhead that filled a large room. We'd all stand and wash under the same shower for our allotted time of a meager 10 minutes.**

_**Hey boys and girls, know how you pass a secret message in a shower full of women and female guards secretly?**_

**I stood near Seripa as we showered. I turned to face her and nodded.**

"**Hey _treegla_, I know you can beat a sleazy _Azil_, but can you beat one of your own?" Seripa snapped.**

**(Bitch -- lizard)**

"**Shut up, _genla treegla_!" I called back.**

**(Monkey bitch)**

**She jumped on me and pinned me to the wall. I turned and pinned her. Everyone already knew I was stronger, so I held her by the neck, not really choking her but making it look good.**

"**Kooler is going with us," I hissed, keeping my tone down, "We're all meeting in the west corner outside after lunch to talk, as soon as lunch is over. My source did come through, but I can't say anything more right now."**

"**Right." She understood. I let her go, and she timidly walked to the other side of the shower.**

"**Anybody else think they stand a chance?" I called. No one replied.**

**XxX**

**The doors opened and inmates went out into the gray courtyard, the red sun shining brightly. It was a perfect day for those who knew no evil.**

**I stepped outside and went toward the west-side corner. This spot was the blind spot on the grounds. In this spot the guards in the towers couldn't see us. Other inmates could, but they were all well aware of my reputation as the _treegla_ _Sayjin_, the Sayjin bitch. Before me, no one had ever stood up to Frigyd. Now that I was top dog, no one bothered me.**

**Bardock's team was already there, and to outsiders that was no big thing. Bardock and his team were like a family. I went over and joined them.**

"**So, what's going on?" Toma asked.**

"**We have another escapee-wannabe to wait for first." I said.**

"**Who?" Bardock asked. I turned and looked over my shoulder as I sensed Kooler approaching.**

"**Him." I said as Kooler got closer.**

"**That stupid Icejin _Azil_? Why him?" Bardock asked.**

**(Lizard)**

"**He tried to help me." I replied. Kooler joined the group.**

"**We have to make this quick. I convinced Frieza that Frosty was going after one of his women. We only have until the fight stops. Then those stupid guards will do their 'job' and break it up."**

"**Right, thanks Kooler." I said, "Okay, here's the plan. We're busting out tomorrow."**

"**Tomorrow? How?" Pota asked.**

"**I have a guy on the outside. He'll blow open those gates," I pointed out the south-side gate, covering the largest wall in the courtyard, "And he'll have an _Ayokii_ for each of us. If all goes well, we'll travel west for two miles on the _Ayokii_. We'll then be out of the range of the collar controls and we can split up then, going our own ways. We'll send the beasts off in a third direction to throw off the guards and soldiers."**

"**Sounds good, but who's this friend of yours?" Kooler asked.**

"**He's no friend of mine, but he said he'd help us escape. It'll be after supper, during the changing of the guards. He says he knows for a fact that the 6 of us will be out here, we're all on the night shift for busting those damn rocks. Just like the cliché, huh? But that's why tomorrow."**

"**How are you contacting him anyway?" Seripa asked.**

"**Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Seripa." I replied.**

"**Or in this case, a gift _Ayokii_, right?" Bardock chuckled. I laughed too.**

"**Yeah. Any questions? Everyone clear?" I asked.**

"**Yeah, got it." Toma replied.**

"**Good." I glanced over to see Frieza getting his tail handed to him by Frosty, "Just in time, too. That fight is over." I said, laughing at the Icejin that once raped me. It may have all been in an illusion, but the pain was real to me. Who gets to decide on reality anyway?**

**XxX**

**The Next Morning**

"_**Mom?" the voice echoed in the black oblivion. Only his form showed through, as if it was making its own light.**_

"_**Codie? Where are you?"**_

"**_I'm with you, aren't I?" a figure with black, folded wings came up next to him. Her white fangs and black eyes were a deep contrast in the darkness._**

"_**No, Codie, she isn't your mother-"**_

"_**I have a mom, and a dad-" Cell appeared on the other side of him, "And my cousins." Dark Kakorot, Raditz, Gohan, and Goten appeared next.**_

"_**They're not your family!" I cried, "I am! Mirai, Kanji, and Andy! Remember Codie!"**_

"_**I do, and I choose this."**_

"**Rise and shine _da tregs_!"**

**(Bakas)**

**I fell off the top bunk and on the floor.**

"**Codie!" it was only a dream. The floor was a hard reminder of that as I tried to untangle my legs from the sheet.**

_**I have to save him, I only hope that dream and my rude awakening weren't an omen of things to come.**_

**XxX**

**At lunch I ate as much as they'd give me. I needed to prepare, too keep my strength up. Frieza, on the other hand, wasn't feeling like eating. He felt like harassing me. When he came over to the table he sat down across from, waiting for me to notice him.**

_**Oh gods of Planet Vegeta, help me…**_

"**May I help you, _Azil_?" **

**(Lizard)**

**I was using Saya-jin more and more. This crash course in the language would make Vegeta proud. I only hoped I see him again to show it off.**

"**I've heard things about you, Katie. Your counterpart has told everyone on the planet about what you told her." He replied.**

"**Such as?"**

"**How you helped kill me, Cell, and this thing called Buu. I must know, is it all true?" he asked.**

"**What do you think? _Me ta Tiom gha ore_ now. I reached it just over a year ago."**

**(I am SSJ4)**

"**Come on, you don't honestly think I believe you helped destroy me back before you even became a _Tiom_?"**

**(SSJ?)**

"**Wow, an _Azil_ speaking _genla_. Never thought I'd see that." I said, taking another bite of my food.**

**(Lizard -- monkey)**

"**Imprudent _genla_." Frieza growled, "I had to learn it to survive in here. When I first came there were no other Icejin but my brother. Everyone in here was Sayjin."**

"**Nice story, where's the point when I start to care?" I asked, taking another bite.**

"**I think your head has gotten too big, monkey. Prove to me your power. Fight me."**

"**I'll be the man here and decline." The doors opened to the courtyard for the afternoon, "Frieza, let me give you some advice." I stood, getting ready to go outside, "Stop ticking off Sayjins. They'll be your downfall. At least, that's how it happened in my universe. Besides, I have already proven myself. I beat Frigyd, didn't I?"**

**I went outside, leaving Frieza uneasy by my speech. I seemed to know how to play him, if no one else. I had another hundred insults lined up for him, but if my plan as to succeed I couldn't risk getting locked into that damn little solitary confinement room again. I bit my tongue and left it at that.**

**XxX**

**Again, at dinner I inhaled my food. The weird little blue lump tasted similar to Chi-chi's Horn-toad Stew that had gone stale. When it's fresh it's good, but when it's old and cold it might as well be raw.**

**My eye's met with Bardock, and he nodded. They were ready. I gazed across the room and met eyes with Kooler. He was ready too. I only hoped Cell was ready.**

"_**Cell, can you hear me?"**_

"**_Katie, what is it?"_ his reply was strong, which meant he was near.**

"_**I'm just checking. Is everything ready to go?"**_

"**_Yes, as planned. I'll be there with the caxx_ Ayokii_ you need."_**

**(6 Ayokii)**

"_**Good, and thanks."**_

**The connection was severed.**

**At night the courtyard doors don't open, normally. This time they did. The guards were on each side, calling names for those who had to work. This was the first time since I arrived that it had occurred.**

**_I haven't even been here a week, but it feels like I've been stuck here forever. They say one second in _Jutir_, or hell, or HFIL, is as long as a lifetime. Makes sense naming this prison Purgatory._**

**My name was called, so I went to the courtyard. It was pitch black, the moon only seen as a sliver in the sky. A _P'reel-hreth_, a full moon, occurs only once every 100 years here, so any moon was astonishing to the Sayjins planet-bound.**

"**Alright you lazy no-good inmates, time to earn your keep." The guard was a human, a male who was very much a redneck in his ideals. Ironically, his name was Frank Drury. Anything not exactly like him was inferior. That included women, aliens, and even humans from other races. In all my time as a human, I never really thought of these things, but as a Sayjin I see it all the time. To me, you are what you are. I only judge by the heart and soul, not by appearance. If I did, Kooler wouldn't be with me right now.**

"**Now listen up," he began again, "I'm not so hard to get long with. You just do your work like good little aliens, and you'll be just fine."**

"**Look whose talking." A younger male Sayjin next to me said. Drury walked down the line to him.**

"**You say something, monkey?"**

"**Yes, I did. You're on our world, human, you're the alien here."**

"**Well, I see. You think just cause you're a Sayjin you can talk to me like that. You could easily kill me… without the collar." He came around and punched the Sayjin, knocking him to the ground. I wanted to stop this so bad I was shaking in anger, but I couldn't risk losing my chance at freedom. Codie meant more to me. I was only here to rescue him, not save this universe. But if I weren't so close to freedom I would have shown this Drury guy who the inferior really was, collar or no collar.**

"**Right, now that that's settled." He started walking up and down the line, "You aliens will be smashing up this junk for scrap. The rocks, aluminum, and whatever-the-hell else there is. Any complaints and the Empress gave me full authority to lock any of you in solitary for a week." He stopped in front of me and grinned, whispering, "Two for you, missy." Then he moved on, "Any question? Good! Get to it!"**

**We spread out as we started our work. We didn't have the luxury of using any tools, either. We had to use our fists and feet. As everybody worked, I started easing toward the others as we got ready to take off once the gates were blown open.**

**At first I was very antsy, looking toward the wall or the sky every few minutes. Drury was tracing the wall as he watched us. I was having doubts that Cell would really come through for us. I knew I could trust Cell, _mi Teela-hreth_, my best friend, and the incarnation of my son, but could I trust his darkling counterpart?**

**Then I heard a very low sound, like a rumbling or quiet thunder. It stopped and I heard snorting. I looked over to Bardock, and he nodded. I was hearing the _Ayokii_. In a flash the wall fell and collapsed, throwing rock everywhere and killing Drury. **

_**What a waste of a life… maybe not…**_

"**Alright, Kooler, Katrin, lets get out of this _Jutir_!" Bardock cried as we ran out through the hole in the wall. Other inmates and guards ran out as well.**

"**Look! There he is with the _Ayokii_! Wow…" I saw the old Namekian on top of a large white _Ayokii_. There were six more _Ayokii_ with him.**

**_Ayokii_ look very similar to horses, but the difference is like comparing your neutered poodle to a timber wolf alpha male. The _Ayokii_ are very large, twice the size of a horse, and every one has a silver mane and tail. That silver is as brilliant as the _P'reel-hreth_, the full moon. Instead of hooves, their feet are similar to that of a wolf because the _Ayokii_ were once predatory creatures. They still are, but they're tamed, like the first dogs on earth.**

**Also, the _Ayokii_ are very strong. They can run twice as fast as a Sayjin without problem. They're great swimmers, and in the right conditions, they can jump so well you'd swear they were flying.**

"**Katie!" the Namekian waved to us, "I picked this one out just for you! His name is _Biress_ _Garu_." he had a black Ayokii by the mane, holding it steady for me as I jumped on. _Black Wind_ stomped on the grass, as though disagreeing with me.**

"**Good, boy." I patted him on the neck and he calmed down a little bit, "Thanks!" I held onto the mane tight. Ayokii may be tamed, but they refuse any kind of saddle or reins. You ride them like the Indians.**

"**Who is this guy?" Seripa asked me, but the Namekian heard her.**

"**Call me Capillary."**

**We got going west, away from the gates at full gallop. Riding an Ayokii is different from a horse as well. You have to lean down near the ear and call out your order. At least at first, once you've connected with your Ayokii it can almost read your body language for riding.**

**Bardock came up beside me on his tan Ayokii, making it look easy. I was having trouble with Black Wind. He didn't like me very much.**

"**Having trouble, Katrin?" Bardock called.**

"**Yeah, he doesn't like me."**

"**They're not suppose to!" Bardock laughed.**

**I looked ahead, seeing forest and valleys. We still had a while to go, but soon we'd be able to safely say we were free. But, on the topside, we were the first ones to ever break out of Purgatory Prison.**


	26. Freedom

**Chapter 26: Freedom**

**I could only think of Mirai and Gohan and how they were doing as we rode deeper into the forests of Planet Vegeta. They could be in that cave, still waiting for me, or they could be dead. I was hoping it would be the prior one.**

**The Namekian known as Capillary stopped in the middle of a field. He hopped off his Ayokii as we caught up with him. He was unloading bags when we all stopped and jumped off our respective Ayokii. My Ayokii, Biress Garu, had calmed down much more since our journey began.**

"**Here, I brought some provisions." Capillary threw a bag in front of each of us, "Its clothes and food. If you give me a minute I can remove your collars as well."**

**Each bag looked very similar to an overnight bag, each stuffed full with Sayjin armor of varied styles, food, and the others all had Scouters. Capillary knew I didn't need one.**

"**You boys can all stand around here for a moment, I believe Katrin, Pota, and I would prefer to change our clothes away from members of the opposite sex." Seripa said. I nodded as we went to the other side of the group of Ayokii.**

"**Armor, about time." Pota said.**

"**And Scouters too." Seripa added. I noticed bruises all over her body; Pota too. When I looked down I noticed how broken I appeared. I wasn't completely healed as of yet.**

"**You were beaten a lot in that place, weren't you?" I asked.**

"**I don't want to talk about it." they replied.**

"**Don't blame you. I was only there a week, but I was beaten hard everyday. You know that Frigyd had the gall to make me one of his whores?"**

"**He wanted me as well." Seripa sighed, continuing, "Bardock is my mate, and they fought. I paid for it later. I was actually hurt bad enough that I was sent to an infirmary. I made history on that."**

"**Sorry."**

"**I don't need your pity."**

"**I don't think she mean it like that." Pota said.**

"**I'm new to the way things work here, but in my universe people usually mean it when they say sorry. At least, I do. If it wasn't for her…" I trailed off into a growl. These people were her family, my family, yet she still did this to them.**

_**Like when Raditz tried to kill me and Goku…**_

"**You fought her and lived. No one except her traitorous robot mate has done that." Pota sneered.**

"**In my universe Cell was my best friend."**

"**Cell?" she snorted, "What about the rest of us?" she gestured to the guys and herself.**

"**You're dead. Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta when I was a baby. I think I was around the age of three. Only Brolly, Paragus, Prince Vegeta, Nappa, Raditz, and Kakorot made it alive besides me."**

"**Really? How about a little more detail?" Seripa asked.**

"**Well, I was supposed to become the Angel, so I was saved and sent to an alternate dimension. I never even knew I was Sayjin. Kakorot was sent to earth to take it over, but he lost his Sayjin memories. The others lived under Frieza's rule. Dodoria killed you, Toma, and Pota because you guys were getting too strong for Frieza's liking. Bardock died trying to stop Frieza." I explained.**

"**Wow, your universe is crazy."**

"**Imagine how I feel here." we laughed. I was actually talking with other female Sayjins, like me, "Um… what's it like being a female Sayjin?"**

"**What?" Pota asked back.**

"**I mean, are the males and females equal? Do females raise the kids?"**

"**Oh, I see." Seripa caught on and answered, "Gender really isn't an issue with Sayjins. It's all by power-level. And we do raise the kids, almost single handedly unless the males train the sons."**

"**I see. And how well did you know… my parents?"**

"**Andorra and Kanji were deeply in love. You don't see love much anymore."**

"**Did you know my mom was pregnant with a son before she died?"**

"**A son? I had no idea. Wait, how could you know that? Do you have a brother?" Seripa's eyes lit up.**

"**I didn't, he was never born. I just learned Andorra was pregnant when Kooler killed her. You miss Kakorot and Raditz, don't you?"**

"**I've gotten over that, they chose to help _her_." Seripa growled.**

**We were dressed, and apparently they were done talking with me. They walked back over to Bardock and the others, and I followed a moment behind.**

**My armor was an older model, the spandex under the armor was black, and I had the broad shoulder and leg covers, like Vegeta's model when he first came to earth. As I put on my boots and gloves, I remembered how my model at home was almost exactly like this set. That made me miss home and Vegeta, and all the others, even more.**

**I had my collar removed, and Kooler mounted his Ayokii.**

"**We'll go deep into the mountains, hook up with the rebels." Bardock started as he placed the food bags on his Ayokii.**

"**I'm going home." Kooler corrected. He turned and was about to start off on his own.**

"**Kooler, wait a minute." I ran up to him.**

"**What is it?"**

"**I want you to know that I don't blame you for not helping me earlier. I get it, so don't carry that on your shoulders."**

"**Right. And Katie, one more thing. You may have noticed Frigyd and most of the inmates jumped when you called Frigyd an arrogant fool."**

**I remembered, he stopped laughing at me while we were fighting.**

"**Yeah, what about it?"**

"**I can't sense Ki, most people in our universe can't, but when you snapped like that, I know I felt something from you. Whatever that was, use it against the Empress." He took off without another word. **

"**Thanks Kooler! Good luck!" I waved at him until he hit the trees and then walked back to the others.**

"**Where are you going, Katrin?" Bardock asked.**

"**I'm teaming up with Capillary." I stated.**

"**Fine. Here," Bardock took off the angel pendant and tossed it to me, "You're the Angel now, take this with you. Defeat my niece, it's the only way to stop her now. Give it to her then."**

"**I'll do my best." I replied as he mounted his Ayokii. They'd take Capillary's and my Ayokii to draw the attention away from us. Soon they would dump the Ayokii all together.**

**I looked down at the angel pendant. One wing was broken, as I said earlier, and the crystal was scratched. She sat on her knees, long hair covering a bare body. The wings were outstretched wide, like an eagle in flight.**

**Bardock and his team took off, heading toward the northeastern setting sun. I prayed they'd get away okay.**

"**Shall we?" Capillary said, starting off into the air in a third direction.**

"**You can drop your disguise now. We're alone." I said as I flew up next to him. He smirked and reveled himself.**

"**You knew it was me all along." Cell smirked.**

"**I'm still a Sayjin, and I'd never forget the scent of my _Teela-hreth_. Of course, you're not my best friend." I replied.**

**We started off south, back toward the caves where I had left Mirai and Gohan a week prior. I hoped they didn't go far, but I knew they were too smart to stay in one place for very long.**

"**Aren't you curious as to why I'm helping you?"**

**I kept my eyes ahead as we flew, looking for danger.**

"**Maybe a little." I replied.**

"**It's our son." He responded.**

"**_My_ son."**

"**Right, your son." He paused as he thought about his mistaken comment, "I thought he was under my control, but he isn't."**

"**Codie is still himself?" I stopped, wanting to know more.**

"**Foolish child, don't stop!" he grabbed my hand and we continued flying, "If you want to stop like that, wait until we're bedding down for the night. We can't stop yet."**

**We started moving south again. I noticed he hadn't let go. **

_**This isn't right. Cell is holding my hand and whisking me off to safety. I know it isn't right… it isn't.**_

"**You can let go now."**

"**What? Oh." He let go and put his hands to his sides.**

"**Cell? …Thanks."**

"**For what?"**

"**Rescuing me. The Cell in my universe did that too, but… well, they say no good deed goes unpunished."**

**We stayed silent as we flew. I don't know what made me say it. I had always found it easy to talk with Cell. He listened and could understand. Chi-chi was right, I do seem to like the mean ones, and no one was meaner than Cell in a bad mood. Or even worse, a good mood when he was still evil.**

**I kept my eyes on the forest floor, looking for the caves. I finally spotted the opening to the one we had stayed in.**

"**There it is. Stay up here, if they see you they'll shoot first."**

**I landed and walked inside.**

"**Mirai! Gohan!" I looked around, but there was no sign of them. I couldn't catch their scent, either.**

"**No! Mirai! Gohan! Where are you!" I ran inside deeper, but I still could find a trace of them. I ran to the mouth of the cave again. I was frantic, they could be dead and I wouldn't know. A million different theories ran in my mind, and most weren't good.**

"**Mirai! Gohan!"**

"**Katie! Shut up!" Cell fell to the ground and ran over.**

"**They're not here! I can find their scents, Mirai!" Cell put his hand over my mouth to shut me up.**

"**Do you know how many animals would find us pretty tasty right now? Or worse, soldiers? Your yelling will attract them to us."**

**I pushed his hand away.**

"**I love him, and he isn't here! I can't smell Gohan or Mirai, so it has to have been a few days." Finally I had tears flow down my cheeks. Cell looked intently at my face.**

"**It will… be alright. We'll find them." He said. I stopped, starting to calm down, as I looked him back in the eyes. His eyes weren't as dark anymore.**

"**You know this how?" I asked, angry.**

"**What else do you smell? Concentrate, use the Sayjin genes that you're so proud of, Katie. You should still be able to track them after a week."**

**I listened to him this time, sniffing the air deeply.**

"**Water… Mirai must have found some clean water for Gohan." I said.**

"**Good, what else?"**

**I walked a little further from the cave mouth.**

"**Men… mostly humans… Tien, too."**

"**He's one of the rebel leaders." Cell explained.**

"**They left together, but I can't tell which way." I said, sitting down in the mouth of the cave. I leaned back against the cold stone and a yawn slipped.**

"**The rebels take no prisoners. Tien must know they're not my family." Cell said, stepping inside.**

"**You called them your family." Cell stopped and stared into the dark cave. He seemed to be thinking.**

"**That's what they are. My mate is very fond of Vegeta."**

"**That doesn't upset you?" I asked.**

"… **It does, but… she's just trying to block out the pain… Prince Trunks is like another son to her."**

"**So why take mine." I stated.**

"**You know, don't you? Her miscarriage 18 years ago. "**

"**Yeah, I figured it out." I said, "I know how it is to lose a child. No parent should go through that."**

"**Then you can't take Codie away." Cell said. He sat down across from me, staring at me.**

"**I have to. He is my son, my flesh."**

"**My soul. Which means more?" Cell queried.**

"**He isn't your son, Cell. He _is_ Cell. The one who lost his soul to save my life." I stated.**

"…**He wants to go home."**

"**Tell me what happened."**

"**Fine."**

**3rd P.O.V.**

"_**You went to see her again." Katrin said.**_

"_**Yes, I did." Cell responded.**_

"_**Why?"**_

"_**She confuses me. She speaks of love and of the power it possesses."**_

"_**You did so behind my back."**_

"_**Forgive me, my Empress."**_

"_**I will, my pet. This time." she responded. She never made eye contact with her mate.**_

"_**You… will?"**_

"_**This time I forgive you. Next time, however…"**_

"_**I understand. How is the boy?"**_

"_**Confused. You better talk to him."**_

"_**As you wish." He bowed and left.**_

_**Cell went down the hall, passing rooms he had never even seen opened. He sometimes wondered if there was even anything behind those doors, or if it was just brick to confuse intruders.**_

_**He got to a door with a small crack in the wood. Katrin had done that to the infant's room after the loss, trying to put the blame on someone or something. She couldn't punish Lios because he and his people were dead.**_

_**Cell opened the room to see the boy holding his head, sitting on the edge of the bed. At the sound of the door closing behind him, the boy stood and turned to face Cell, but he fell to his knees.**_

"_**Are you alright?" Cell asked.**_

"_**I'm fine, I just stood up too fast." Cell moved toward Codie, "Don't come any closer."**_

"_**Why?" Cell asked, confused.**_

"_**You're the enemy, that's why." Codie growled.**_

"_**What?"**_

"**_I'm more than just programming, _father_. Your hold on me isn't strong enough to break the bond I share with my mom." He said, still holding his head._**

"_**This is impossible." Cell said, shaking his head.**_

"_**No, it's improbable." Codie smirked. He sat back down on the bed.**_

"_**Your head will stop hurting if you just give in." Cell said.**_

"_**Pain is sometimes the only way you can know for sure that you're still alive." Codie replied, squinting his eyes tight.**_

"_**Poetic, where did you get that?"**_

"_**My mom wrote it in one of her books. Damn, why am I even talking to you? Get out."**_

"_**You really love your mom and dad, don't you?" Cell asked, walking around to the front of the boy.**_

"_**I said no closer 21. I mean it." Codie raised his hand with a small Ki ball ready to fire.**_

"_**You mean business, calling me by my number. But I can tell you can't even power up yet. That blast won't be able to hurt me." Cell knelt down to eye-level. Codie put his arm down.**_

"_**Then go ahead, try to brainwash me again. I'll resist again."**_

"_**No, I have a better idea. For now though, you need to act like you love the Empress and me. If not, Empress Katrin will most likely kill you."**_

"_**Why should I trust you?" Codie snapped.**_

"**_You know I cannot lie. Others may not know this, but you know Gero made it so I am unable to lie."_**

**1st P.O.V.**

"**He's safe. I know he can act." I smiled from relief.**

"**Yes. I started making the arrangement for your escape then, but I knew it was too risky to tell him that."**

"**But I still don't get it…" I looked out at the dark sky, seeing a shooting star. I made a wish for us all to go home soon.**

"**I realized that… what you were saying about love might be true. If it is, I don't want to stop it." he replied.**

"**Really?"**

"**Yes, really." He snapped.**

"**I didn't know you couldn't lie." I admitted.**

"**What?"**

"**The Cell in my universe never said anything about that. Then again, he never lied to me or anyone else. I didn't think Gero would program something like that. Something so honorable and pure."**

"**Maybe your Cell could lie, I just know for sure that I cannot."**

"**No… I think ours couldn't lie either. You're too much like him for that not to be the same as well."**

**We became quiet again, each deep in thought as we stared out into space.**

_**Cell never lied to me… he kept his word at all times. By the Kais, I miss him so much, and being here with his counterpart makes this all the harder. But I have to save Codie, find Gohan and Mirai, and get home. When I put it that way it sounds so easy.**_

**The image of the kiss Cell gave me popped into my head again. He knew we might never meet again.**

_**He did lie… he said he wouldn't go anywhere because he was already dead.**_

**I looked at the stars, and I noticed another shooting star fly by.**

_**Two comets in one night?**_

"**Hey Cell, did you see that?" I asked, standing as another one flew by.**

"**The comets… there shouldn't be any comets, not for another few days. I did the calculations myself."**

"**Well apparently you were wrong." three more whizzed by.**

"**This isn't good…" Cell stared at the sky, his robotic body making all kinds of different beeping noises.**

"**What?"**

"**Look out!" he grabbed my arm and pushed me into the cave. A meteor hit right where I had been standing.**

"**Thanks…"**

"**Not yet, move, deeper into the cave." He said, helping me up and running. He sounded scared. I followed right beside him.**

"**What's going on?"**

**The ceiling of the cave was about 10-ft high here, the entrance was only about Cell's height.**

"**A meteor shower… the new calculations I just made have the shower hitting Planet Vegeta, all across this continent."**

"**Oh great! First earthquakes, now the sky is falling!" I said.**

**A large meteor crashed through the cave in front of us, stopping us as we felt the heat coming off of it. Another meteor hit a few meters behind us.**

"**Shit!" that was the first time I ever heard Cell swear.**

**I could feel the ground shaking as more rock fell from the sky. I got that same feeling I got back in the solitary confinement. I couldn't stay in this cave.**

"**I can blast us out of here no problem." I aimed my hand up as I started to gather my energy.**

"**No you fool, get down." Cell practically threw me to the ground.**

"**Hey, wha-" I was about to snap at him, but as I rolled over onto my back, Cell was over me, shielding me from the large rocks as they started to fall from the roof of the cave.**

_**What is he doing? Why is he protecting me?**_

**His larger frame completely cut me off from the rock fall. He had his eyes closed as rocks hit his back. **

_**He's getting hurt… for me. Why?**_

"**What are you doing? I could get us both out of here." I asked.**

"**There are 2 reasons why it's safer in here. If you use your Ki to blast us out, you'll either attract soldiers or cause a cave in."**

**_He is risking his own well being to save me. He is putting himself in harm's way to help me. If the Empress finds out he's helped me, she'll kill him. Why is he doing all of this?_**

**I saw a large rock break loose from the roof. Even though he was Cell, instinct took over. I blasted the rock before it hit him.**

"**Don't use your Ki!" he snapped.**

"**That rock-"**

"**You know it wouldn't have killed us." he said.**

"**No, but it could have… hurt you." I said.**

**He opened his eyes and stared down at me in surprise.**

"**You care?" he asked.**

_**What do I say? If I say yes… if I say no… damn him for confusing me! He is not my Cell, he is not my Teela-hreth. He is a darkling.**_

**Seeing huge rocks fall right at you is scary, more so when you can't move out of the way. The ceiling was collapsing on us.**

"**Cell, the ceiling isn't holding!" I screamed. Cell looked back to see, then ducked down closer on top of me.**

"**Brace yourself!"**

**AS22: Evil cliffie! Yippee!**

**Cell: you're not going to kill me again, are you?**

**AS22: (evil grin) no…**

**Cell: Angel…**

**AS22: its not like I like to kill you. You know I cried when I killed you off in New Destiny 2!**

**Katie: then you should have let me wish him back.**

**AS22: characters never get it… R&R!**


	27. The Cave in

**AS22: okay, I gotta confess… just as Shawn Cebula as mentioned to me, I know I have been spelling Saiyan wrong in the stories. Blame me… it is the first way I ever saw it spelled and I've used it. You noticed I fixed it in my name, Angel Saiyan 22. Sayjin… I dunno… anyway, R&R, and please, point out my mistakes.**

**Also, the evil cliffie is defeated! This is one of my favorite chapters.**

**Cell-Katie: not ours…**

**AS22: also, if anyone out there is confused, try reading my other stories first, okay? I've gotten reviews from confused people, and it is all because they haven't read New Destiny and those sequels yet. Its like watching Harry Potter 3 before reading book 1, kay? Now onward!**

**Katie: finally…**

**Chapter 27: The Cave-in**

**It was hard to breathe. I didn't know if I had passed out or if it all just happened really fast, what I did know was that there was physically a heavy weight on my chest and it was dark.**

**I pushed the weight off easily and sat up. I felt pain on my forehead, and when I reached up, I jerked back from pain. More gently this time, I felt a long cut that was swollen and slightly bleeding.**

**We were still in the cave, rocks scattered the small area we now were locked in. Even though the rock was off my chest, I was still having trouble breathing. I didn't know if that was from fear, injury, lack of air, or a combination of the three.**

**My head was hurting, and instinctually I held my forehead and closed my eyes. There were no Ki signatures around the cave, so no one had found my Ki blast from earlier.**

**I checked over myself. My right leg was throbbing, but I couldn't see to tell if anything was wrong. **

"**_D'rar_!" When I tried to move it I got my answer. It felt broken, and I hissed in pain, swearing in Saya-jin.**

**(Damn!)**

**Besides that I seemed okay, but I guessed I also had some broken ribs, hence my labored breathing.**

"**Cell, are you okay?" I didn't get a response, "Cell?" I focused my Ki search inside the cave. His Ki was low, "Hey, Cell, answer me man."**

**I still didn't get an answer. I opened my eyes and looked around, but I couldn't see clearly. I lit up a weak Ki ball to light up the cave, but I still couldn't see him.**

**I sat up and focused on his Ki more accurately. It was near me, under some rubble, so I dropped the Ki and crawled toward his power level.**

"**Cell, come on man, help me out here. Where are you?" I started to move some rocks around.**

_**I can't lose him again… I can't lose him again!**_

**A pile of rubble next to me moved, and up out of it was Cell on his hands and knees, gasping for air.**

"**Cell, you okay?" I asked, maneuvering over the rocks toward him.**

"**I'll be fine." His arms gave out and he started to fall, but I caught him.**

"**Easy big guy." I put him down on his back as carefully as I could.**

"**Why are you… being so nice to me… all of a sudden?" he was having trouble breathing like I was.**

"**You tried to protect me. You've helped me more these past few hours than I'd like to admit to."**

"**So you're repaying me?" he asked.**

"**It's more than that…" I rolled over to my back, sitting against a large slab of rock.**

"**Save your breath, we're running out of air."**

"**I can't blast us out… can you?" I asked.**

"**It may make things worse in here… but why can't you blast?"**

"**I can't see straight." I admitted.**

**I heard the sickening sound of bones and organs rearranging. I looked over and saw Cell regenerating himself. Most of it sounded internal.**

"**You're hurt too. I have to get you to the rebels."**

"**Why are you still here trying to help me?" I asked.**

"**What you say about love must be true… I can feel it… and I know that to show the Empress how much I really love her… I have to show her she's wrong. This universe is wrong. If she hadn't lost the child…"**

"**When I lost my kids, I went nuts too." **

"**Empress Katrin isn't crazy!" Cell snapped/growled at me.**

"**I didn't mean…"**

"**I know you didn't… what happened to your family?"**

"**An android killed my mate and my two older kids. If it wasn't for Codie… I might have hurt someone…"**

"**He is your crystal, isn't he?" Cell asked.**

"**Yeah, he is… I lost my memory from the trauma of their deaths… he never abandoned me."**

"**Do I know this android?" Cell asked.**

"**You might… he was a combination of Android 17 and a hell-fighter android. Gero made him in one last attempt against Goku." the air seemed to be thinning out more.**

"**I should try to get us out of here. Save your energy." Cell sat up and moved around, pushing rocks away.**

_**I was right… he does realize that all of this isn't right. He wants to help his mate, and he knows I'm the only one who could stop her… but I can't.**_

**I felt a tear fall from my eye.**

_**I can't… I don't have the Angel power. Cell can't get us out of here in time… **_

"**This is no way for a warrior to die…"**

"**Don't say things like that… don't even think it. I'll get us out of here." Cell ordered. I didn't even realize I had said it out loud.**

"**How bad off am I? Tell me the truth."**

"**You right leg is broken… and… one of your lungs has collapsed."**

"**More air for you…" I said, laughing.**

"**You're already acting hysterical… you might be in fever. The rebels are rumored to have portable rehab-tanks. Hopefully that's true."**

"**How will… you… find them?"**

"**I have to, there isn't a how to this. Now shut up and take in short, shallow breaths. It'll give us more time."**

_**He really does want to save me…**_

**3rd P.O.V. - Cell**

"**Talk to me, Katie. Tell me you're okay."**

"**Huh?" she opened her eyes, and Cell saw a stream of light lighting up her face in the darkness.**

"**I got to some air, now talk to me. A little while ago you wouldn't shut up." He couldn't help but smirk as he leaned back against the wall.**

"**I'm sore as _Jutir_, but I'm okay." she inhaled deeply, but winced.**

**(Hell)**

"**So you can speak Saya-jin."**

"**I guess you're fluent by now, right?" she asked.**

"**Yes, I am." He confirmed.**

"**How long till we're out of here?" she asked.**

"**Give me a second and I'll break the hole wider."**

"**You've lost a lot of Ki." she said.**

"**So have you."**

**Cell got back up and broke the wall, filling the cave with sunlight. It was early afternoon. The hole was much bigger than he was.**

"**Here we go." He went over and picked her up, cradling her as he stepped out of the cave. With her leg broken and lung impaired she couldn't move on her own. Cell noted how tiny she looked in his arms, just like his mate.**

"**Cell…" she gasped in pain as he lifted her off the floor.**

"**Relax, I have you." he said. She looked up at him, and as he looked back into her onyx eyes he almost flinched. Katrin's eyes always did that to him when he looked deep enough.**

"**What makes you think the rebels won't kill us on sight?"**

"**I hoping your mate and Gohan will be with the group we find… they'll know you're not my mate."**

"**Not very logical, Android 21."**

"**Neither were you when you kissed me." he responded.**

"…**It was the only way I could show you love. You did the same to me when I was in that illusion. Remember?"**

_**She's confusing me with the Cell she knew.**_

"**That wasn't-"**

"**You knew you were going to die, but you fought at my side anyway." Cell looked down at her again. Her eyes were closed, but he could still see the tears flowing, "Kooler fired his Death Beam at me… why? Damn you, why?" she began to pound on his chest, but there wasn't any pain. Cell just looked down at her, heartbroken and grieving all over again. She was in fever, he could tell by the way she was acting and how she looked.**

"**What did I do?" he asked softly. This may not have been the most logical way to retrieve information, but he had to know what his counterpart had done to upset her so much. It seemed like the right thing to do.**

"**You said you'd never leave me, you couldn't because you were already dead… but you left me… you left me alone to fight Frieza in the illusion… you jumped in front of me. Then you were gone." Her voice was cracking, she was shaking from the tears.**

"**I won't leave again." he said.**

"**Good…" when he looked down, Cell saw that she was pressed in close to him. She was so comfortable around the Cell she knew, and now she was confusing him with her friend. **

_**Why did I say that to her? **_

**He looked down to see tears still fresh on her cheeks. Cell could tell she had fallen asleep.**

**_She's upset, that's why. I love her like she says my counterpart loved her. It's a love that… it isn't like the love I shared with Katrin before… its like I care for her… like a little sister… or even Teela-h'reth?_**

**Cell looked up to see the moon rising. It was already night again, it felt like it had only been a few hours since he last saw the moon.**


	28. The Beauty of a Damned World

**AS22: this is like my second favorite chapter.**

**Cell: mine as well. For once I'm not being attacked, killed, or crushed by falling rocks.**

**AS22: I could fix that… (pulls out frying pan of doom.)**

**Cell: (sweating) not that I'm complaining… R&R!**

**Chapter 28: The Beauty of a Damned World**

**1st P.O.V.**

**Sunlight woke me from a fevered sleep. I still didn't feel very well, but I couldn't remember why. I opened my eyes and saw the red and green colors of the morning sky.**

"**Do you feel any better?" I looked up toward the voice and saw Cell sitting on a branch above me. He was in a tree that was directly behind my head. We were in a small clearing surrounded by tall grass.**

"**Maybe." I tried to move, but I got a sharp pain in my leg. I looked and saw a splint wrapped around my right hip, where I vaguely remembered finding it broken in the cave. My right leg was bare, so I figured that he used the material to wrap my leg.**

_**How long have I been sleeping?**_

"**You shouldn't try to move. Your leg is healing slowly, and your ribs -"**

"**I remember. How long have I been sleeping?"**

"**About a day. Your fever just broke a few hours ago, but there isn't any guarantee it won't resurface." He sounded so monotone, so logical. Cell is an android, but I didn't remember ever hearing him sound so absolute before.**

"**I didn't say anything odd, did I?" I asked, trying to act distant as well.**

"**Actually you did. You confused me with your _Teela-hreth_ and asked me why I saved you from Kooler. You told me all about how _he_ sacrificed his soul to save you then."**

"**I did, huh? I'm not surprised… even now I can't see any difference between the two of you."**

"**You can't?" he looked down at me, one eyebrow raised higher in confusion.**

"**Yeah, Cell even made that same face when I… was sent to HFIL."**

"**I've upset you again." he jumped down and stood, facing the rising sun.**

"**No… yeah, maybe a little."**

"**Tell me about him. How did it come to be that he was saving you from Kooler?" he asked.**

"**A wizard stole my Angel powers and trapped me in an illusion to kill me. The illusion had me as a normal Sayjin… I was supposed to marry Frieza. But my memory of the real world kept popping up. I was fighting Frieza, Kooler, and King Kold. Kooler went to attack me, and I couldn't move out of the way. Cell saw me and… he teleported between the attack and me. He was already dead… so his soul… was destroyed."**

"**You didn't wish him back with the, what did you call them, Dragonballs?"**

"**I tried that. It didn't work."**

"**I better find you something to eat. Your food was lost in the cave in."**

**Cell walked into the tall grass surrounding the small clearing.**

_**He really does remind me of Cell… why doesn't that bother me as much anymore? It's getting harder to remember that he isn't my Teela-hreth… but he could still be a good Teela.**_

**(Teela-hreth best friend, Teela friend)**

**I pulled myself up against the tree and sat up. I was in pain due to my leg, but I had lived through worse. You'd wet yourself if you knew what you could live through. My leg felt like a knife was jabbing in and out slowly, throbbing and stinging all at once.**

**My armor was mostly intact, except that both shoulder guards and the right leg guard had broken off. There was also a slight dent on the left side over my chest. I figured that was the bad lung.**

_**My life seems to be full of crap like this… but to tell the truth, I wouldn't have it any other way. As the story goes, to live would be an awfully great adventure. And my life is a great adventure. I really can't think of a dull moment… well, I was bored when I was in school with Gohan. I hope Mirai and Gohan are okay.**_

**I watched the rising sun of Planet Vegeta. You know those colors the sky makes that no one can copy? The shades of blue, pink, and purple you get when the sun rises and sets? It's the same with the shades of red and green. No artist could copy that.**

_**I have to save Codie… but how do I stop an Angel?**_

**I reached into my armor and pulled out Bardock's angel pendant. Of all things I had broken as of now, a leg, a lung, my armor, it was still intact but for the already broken wing.**

_**That's what we are… angels with broken wings. Both of us are missing something. I know what she is missing, but what am I missing?**_

**The crystal was so clean and clear, and the red sunlight shining through made the day seem nicer already.**

**Cell came back into view with an armful of fruit. Each one was foreign to me, and not a one looked like any fruit from earth.**

"**I hope I found enough. I can never tell with you Sayjins. I'm told they taste good, I wouldn't know." Cell said as he dropped the fruit next to me.**

_**He even feeds like Cell.**_

"**Why are you still here? Won't the Empress be missing you?"**

"**Maybe…"**

"**You should go back. If she finds out about us she'll kill you."**

"**This I know. But I have to get you help first."**

"**The Rebels won't let you leave."**

"**Then I can tell her I was held captive. I wouldn't be lying then."**

"**You can't lie, but you can trick. Make plays on words, stretch the truth, tell only the good part of a story, perhaps?" I asked, smirking at him. I picked up a weird orange-colored fruit with a stem. It was some type of melon from what I knew about fruit. I looked it over, but I'll admit it, I didn't know how to eat it. Cell noticed that.**

"**You've never eaten a _Glorsh_ Melon before?" Cell asked.**

"**With a name like that, who would?" I asked. He took it from me.**

"**Here, you pull off the stem," he gave it a yank, "Then you break it like this." he dug his fingers into the top where he had removed the stem, then he pulled it apart. He handed me the two pieces.**

**I looked at him as he licked off his fingers.**

"**How is it?" I asked. He saw what he was doing and stopped.**

"**Not completely ripe yet, but it's sweet."**

**I couldn't help myself. After all that had happened in the past week, I let out a laugh at Cell. It was just something funny to see, like Majin Buu and Goku in an eating contest or Vegeta and Bulma fighting over cookies.**

"**You think this is funny, do you?" Cell asked.**

"**After a hellish week at Purgatory Prison, yes, it is."**

"… **How… how was in there, really?"**

"**You don't know?" I asked him back as I bit into the Glorsh Melon. It was really sweet, almost like a banana.**

"**I could never bring myself to read any reports or go there myself. Letting you out of solitary was the only time I ever went inside."**

"**You really do still have a good side."**

"**Yes, I do. But my love for the Empress- for Katrin changed me. Gero once said to me true love can change your nature." Cell looked off in the distance. He really was a mystery to me.**

"**Purgatory was _Jutir_ on Planet Vegeta. The food, blah, it makes me want to gag. The beatings weren't the worse I've received, but I've had some bad tortures. But the torture chamber there-"**

"**You were in there?" he asked, eyes wide.**

"**I had to clean it."**

"**... Its Katrin's pride and joy. It's how she… relaxes."**

"**Sickening." I said as I ate some more of the Glorsh melon.**

"**She wasn't always like this. She used to hate any fighting at all. She only fought to protect others. She never even fought to defend herself. She used to sing. Our empire was built on trust. It was more like a unity. We'd go and ask other worlds to join in our cause, and most agreed without much trouble. She never used her Angel Powers to make others join our empire."**

"**Then she lost her child?"**

"**She wasn't as cold before. It's true she wasn't Mary Sunshine, but she cared. We stopped war, rape… it is true she killed that monster Lios and his entire planet, but she is only mortal. If it had been up to me, I would have kept them alive much longer." He growled as he thought back, "After we lost our son… she grew distant. She howled at night and slept during the day. I did all of the ruling while she was like this." **

**He stopped. I could tell how much pain he was in just remembering those days. It's the same with me when I remember a death, even if that person came back later. It's the principle, you know? It doesn't matter if they're coming back, the point is that they died, a life ended. **

**Cell took in a breath and began again.**

"**Then one night I found her on the balcony. Her wrists had been slashed, and she was threatening to jump. In her condition it would have killed her. She… she heard voices, telling her to jump, to live, to die…"**

"**My Kais…"**

_**That's why he got so defensive earlier when I said I was crazy like her when I lost my family.**_

"**I was able to save her then. I've stayed near her since. But since then she's used her Angel powers for conquest, until just a few years ago when we had conquered the entire universe. The idea of war still ran through her mind though, so when we discovered the vortex… I know it cannot continue like this. That is why you have to stop her. You are the only one who could stop her. If she is defeated… if she is shown she is wrong, I know in my heart… my heart, what a joke. I know she'd fix her mess and we could rule like we use to."**

_**He has stayed with her all this time… he loves her.**_

"**You keep asking me about love. You shouldn't, you already know all you need to know. I hear it in your voice when you talk about Empress Katrin. You have a heart, Cell."**

"**But I don't know-"**

"**Part of knowing what love is, is not knowing what love is. No one does. Sometimes love is smacking you in the face and you don't even know it. When I met Mirai… I didn't want to love him because I knew he'd have to leave, to go back to his own time to stop the androids. We fell in love anyway. When he left, I was heartbroken. But he came back, just for me. He stopped 17 and 18, and Cell, and came back to marry me."**

"**Marry? Is that like a Bonding ceremony?"**

"**Yeah, the earth version." I smiled, not able to contain myself, "I also hear the love when you talk about your son."**

"**It was so wrong… he was so little. He fit in just one of my hands…" Cell looked at one of his hands, as if he were adding reference, "no one should die before they get to know life." Cell's voice was cracking, "I better check the area for trouble. I'll return shortly." He started off toward the grass when I saw his hand go up to his face.**

"**Cell, you don't have to leave just because you're upset. I don't care if you… if you cry."**

**Cell turned to look at me. His cheek was streaked with wetness, but his expression hid that. He smirked, trying to look like he was okay.**

"**I'll remember that." then he walked off.**

_**Wow, Cell, crying. I wonder if… if my Cell ever cried.**_

**I thought back to all the times I had spent with Cell. One particular time popped into my mind.**

_**The judges left, and only Cell and I were alone in the courtroom for a moment. I felt as though I should say something to him, and I think he felt the same. The silence was deafening.**_

"_**Cell, I have something I want to say, but I don't know how to say it."**_

"_**You don't have to say a thing. I can feel what it is. You're welcome, and I appreciate you, too."**_

"_**If only you listened to me all those years ago. We could have fought side-by-side."**_

"_**Its better this way." Cell said with a sigh.**_

"_**What do you mean?"**_

"_**Katie, don't you get it? I love you, but living in the mortal realm with you would make both of us miserable. As long as you're happy, I can be happy. And for you to be happy that means my absence."**_

"_**Cell, I'm sorry it wasn't meant to be."**_

"_**Are you? Really? You have your perfect family, and a happy life. It wouldn't have been right, us being together."**_

"_**Cell, I meant it when I said you were my favorite villain. And I meant what I said just now. Remember that we're still in the temple. We can't lie."**_

"_**My escorts will be here shortly. You should go home, your Ki is low, even now. I wish you all the happiness and luck for the rest of your life."**_

"I wish I could say the same to you. Goodbye, Cell. Stay out of trouble." 

_**I turned and walked out as fast as I could; I couldn't let Cell, or anyone else for that matter, see the tears starting to fall.**_

_**If you had ever cried, it would have been then. If only you had listened to me… if only you hadn't been evil… if only-**_

"**Katie, there's something you need to see." Cell said as he came back into view. He was in a hurry, and that made me anxious.**

"**What is it?" I asked. He lifted me up without asking and just started walking. I held on around his neck.**

**We walked for a few minutes, deeper into the forest and away from our little camp.**

"**Cell-"**

"**Be quiet." His simple statement was obeyed, but more because I was confused than because he had told me so.**

_**Now what is he doing? Where are we going?**_

"**There, look." Cell pointed out right in front of us. I gasped at what I saw. It was so beautiful.**

**It was a large field covered in wild flowers of every color and size. In the center of the field was an animal like nothing I had ever seen on earth except in legends.**

**This creature was very tall, and if you picture a unicorn you'd be close, but it didn't really look like a horse. It wasn't white, but silver with a white mane similar to a lion's mane. There was a horn extruding from the head above the eyes that looked so similar to ivory. The horn had to be about 12-15in long. The only dark place on the creature was the onyx eyes. Like I mentioned, it wasn't a horse, but something else, something that is very similar to an Ayokii. It had four legs and a long tail. I couldn't tell from the distance, but I guessed that this creature too had paws, and not hooves, just like the Ayokii. The face was long like a horse, but it had a nose more similar to a canine than an equine animal. Right now it was grazing.**

"**Earth breeds dogs, and dogs came from wolves. We breed Ayokii from those. They're called _Mirna_." Cell whispered.**

"**Oh, wow… it's so beautiful… like a dream."**

"**I wanted you to see that not all of our universe is horrible. When you fight my mate, remember this moment."**

"**I thought Ayokii were predatory."**

"**They are, but Mirna also graze." Cell whispered.**

"**It's so beautiful. There is nothing like this on earth but in stories-"**

"**Shh, wait a minute."**

**The Mirna sniffed the air and looked around. It looked right at us, but it didn't run. Instead it made a sound similar to the howl the Ayokii made. It took a step toward us.**

"**I don't think it likes us." I said.**

"**It's testing us. If we move, it will chase us. If it catches us, it won't be pretty. And right now I think it could catch us easily."**

"**You could just blast it, though, couldn't you?"**

"**Would you?" Cell asked back. When I looked up at him, I noticed something in his face. It was admiration, like when you get to see your favorite celebrity close up. I remembered 17 and the Pterodon.**

"**No."**

**The Mirna pawed at the ground, but Cell didn't budge a step. It howled again, but when we didn't move it bent its head down, as though it was bowing to us, then it went back to the spot it had been grazing at the moment prior.**

"**We're safe now." Cell said, sitting me down on a fallen long.**

"**What was that that just happened?" I asked.**

"**She was challenging us." Cell knelt down too.**

"**She? Why was she challenging us?"**

"**You're smart, think about it. What are two reasons animals challenge intruders?" before I could respond, the Mirna walked a little further away, and a small green Mirna stood up next to its mom. It looked the same except that there was no horn or mane.**

"**Wow, a baby." I said.**

"**It isn't very old, either. Only males are green, and it doesn't have its horn or mane yet." Cell explained.**

"**You can tell gender by its coloring?"**

"**Only with the wild Mirna. The Ayokii have been bred out of that for show. When we had separate tribes on Planet Vegeta, different tribe leaders would ride only a certain color Ayokii for show."**

"**So then silver is a female color, right?"**

"**Exactly. Stay still and quiet, we don't want to scare them away."**

"**Cell… the way you referred to Sayjins a minute ago made you sound like one of them." I said.**

**Cell just smirked in response.**

**AS22: see why I like it?**

**Cell: see why I like it? Mirna are my favorite creatures, just as killer whales are Angel's.**

**AS22: don't call them killers. They're called Orcas. Killer whale gives them a bad reputation.**

**Cell: she loves all things sea related, hence why she even fathomed making Tyde and why Katie's element is water. Anyway, R&R.**


	29. Family Reunited

**Chapter 29: Family Reunited**

**That next morning I ate what was left of the foreign fruit and then Cell and I were off again. He still had to carry me, but it didn't bother me anymore.**

"**So, what's going to happen next?"**

"**How's that?" Cell asked.**

"**You can't tell me you haven't thought out what you're going to do when we show up at the castle. The Empress will kill you on the spot."**

"**If I'm a prisoner she may not."**

"**I thought you couldn't lie? To me, it sounds like you're lying to yourself."**

"**Denial really isn't lying." Cell retorted.**

**We came upon a small river, and Cell put me down. Cell's Ki was still low, so he couldn't fly, and I couldn't fly in my condition.**

**_When this was still just a TV show to me, I would have never imagined Cell with Ki so low he couldn't fly. Then again, I would have never imagined him acting this way. I would have never imagined Cell carrying me through woods and passing unicorns. He's kept me safe. He's helped me. He has shown me things about my home I never knew._**

"**Why have we stopped?"**

"**I'm going to climb that tree and try to look around for some reference as to where we are. I'll be back in a moment." Cell walked over to the large tree in question and jumped up into it, disappearing.**

_**Mirai told me that Cell was hiding in the trees in HFIL when they went to ask him to help me. Mirai must really love me to have gone to HFIL to ask Cell, of all people, for help. So must Vegeta and Goku to go with him.**_

_**Mirai and I Bonded… Vegeta called me his daughter… Goku protected me and raised me… they never doubted me or my abilities, but this time I can't win… not if I'm fighting against the Angel power. They don't know how powerful it really is.**_

**When I used my Angel power, I felt like a god, and that wasn't just a power rush. I could have done anything, had anything. Maybe if I was a little meaner, maybe if I didn't have such thick armor of love, I would have done anything and had everything. But my humanity, the element Sayjins call _latar_, kept me in control. Goku gave me that. Mirai, Cell, even Vegeta gave me that.**

_**I don't feel so good… why am I so cold all of a sudden? Its Planet Vegeta's autumn.**_

"**The city is west of here." Cell jumped down from the tree, "If we continue east- Katie?"**

"**Cell, I'm so cold… why am I cold?"**

**Cell knelt down and felt my forehead.**

"**Your fever has resurfaced. You're in no condition to be moved."**

"**We have to… we have to find my family." I argued.**

**Cell stood up and looked behind me, then back down to me. I closed my eyes, knowing we weren't going anywhere.**

"**Not until your fever breaks. If only I knew where the rebels are-"**

"**Look behind you." this voice was so distant, but it wasn't Cell.**

"**By the Vegetian gods, it's the emperor."**

**The voices seemed to float. I couldn't open my eyes, I was so tired.**

"**Please, just hear me out-"**

"**Hey, there's the Empress! She don't look so good."**

"**Kill her now while we can."**

"**No, don't! That isn't the Empress! If you could just get Tien-"**

"**Yeah, you'd love that. You've been after him for years, Cell."**

**There was a thud and gasping. It sounded like someone was kicked and they fell to their knees.**

"**I'm not going to report you, just listen! That isn't Katrin, that is Katie, her counterpart from the vortex!"**

"**I don't believe him."**

"**No, listen…" I opened my eyes and looked at the men. One was Yamcha, and he was standing at my left, "Yamcha? It's no surprise you're helping Tien."**

"**Shut up!" Yamcha kicked me in the side. I let loose a scream from the pain, he had hit the rib that was broken. I even cried in pain, something I remembered doing only a few times.**

"**Do you think if she was the Empress we'd be stuck out here!" Cell screamed.**

"**Maybe it's true. Tien did say-"**

"**Tien isn't here." Yamcha said, "I need proof." Yamcha knelt down and looked me in the eye, "How can I trust you? How do I know you're not the Empress? Unlike Tien, I only have these two eyes."**

"**Here, look at this." I started rolling up my sleeve on my left arm, "I got this scar… at least 30 years ago. I was under a spell, and this was a tattoo to bind me to the wizard." I showed him my Majin scar.**

"**You could have done that yourself." Yamcha challenged.**

"**You're right, of course. I'm in no condition to fight anyone right now. Take me to Mirai and Gohan…" I was so tired.**

"**Tien has them at camp. But how can we be sure she is telling the truth?"**

"**You don't know if I'm telling the truth or not, but why pass up on a chance like this? You've got Ki-suppressing equipment of some kind, don't you?" I opened my eyes long enough to see Yamcha nod, "Put them on Cell and me. We won't be able to attack you. If we're telling the truth, my mate will know immediately. If we're lying, you can kill us."**

"**Okay, so let's say we might think you're not the Empress, but he _is_ Emperor Cell, isn't he?" Yamcha asked.**

"**Yeah, but he's helping me…" I was so tired, but I had to fight off the sleepiness for just a little longer, "If I am Katie, and not Katrin, I hope you'll be able to trust me and not kill him…. He can explain it to you… right now… I can't keep… my eyes open…"**

**The voices seemed to float further away. I couldn't hear a lot of what was being said. Most of the words were twisted, fading in and out.**

"**She needs help, please."**

**There were loud voices, harsh voices. The voices were spinning around me, making me feel like I was on a turn-a-bout at the playground.**

"**Its okay, Katie. We're going to their base. If all goes well, by this time tomorrow you'll be up and fighting again…"**

**I was moving through the air, then placed back down again. I could finally open my eyes, and looking straight up was cloth. I shook my head and looked again. I was in a tent. I started looking around, and next to me was Cell, tied and bound. He had a band on his arm with a red flashing light. I looked on my right arm to see one just like his.**

"**Cell, where are we?" I asked. I noticed how hard it was starting to feel to talk and breathe.**

"**A rebel camp. I think we're at Tien's base."**

"**Are Mirai and Gohan here?"**

"**Don't know, we just got here."**

"**I hope they'll believe you… I couldn't stand to lose you again."**

"**That's the fever talking-"**

"**No, it… maybe it is, but I mean it. I loved your counterpart. You remind me of him- no, you are him, just a little different." I said.**

"**Save your energy. Once your mate and Gohan see you they will know its you and you'll be healed."**

**I closed my eyes and relaxed. Right now, I knew Gohan and Mirai would know it was me on sight. I knew they'd listen to me and Cell. I knew it would all be okay now.**

"**Cell? Thanks."**

"**No, thank you. Without you, our universe may not have a chance to change." Cell replied.**

"**Well, who do we have here?" I opened my eyes to the voice of Tien.**

"**Hello, Tien." I said.**

"**There's a rumor going around that you are the counterpart of our Empress. But she was locked in Purgatory Prison. No one has ever escaped from there before."**

"**Well I did… with some help."**

"**You don't sound so good right now, but I know that the Empress is a good actor."**

"**Tien, please, have you found my friends?" I asked.**

"**Friends?" he repeated.**

"**Tien, don't play games with me. I'm not the Empress, I swear. I give you my word as a Sayjin. Please, tell me, have you found Mirai and Gohan?"**

"**Perhaps, I need more details from you first. I may have this enlightened third eye, but I still need information to go on."**

"**Mirai… he's my mate. He looks like Prince Trunks, but older. And Gohan, my young cousin. They don't have tails… they were dressed in human clothing when I last saw them." I explained.**

"**She's sick, so stop playing with her!" Cell cried.**

"**You are the real deal." Tien said, looking at me.**

"**Don't harm him, he's the help I had when I escaped. He wants to help stop the Empress."**

"**Why is that, emperor?" Tien looked over a Cell.**

"**I have my own reasons." Cell replied simply.**

"**Well, I believe you, Katie. Mirai and Gohan told me a lot about you. You have some visitors. Only they can be for sure you're telling the truth. Come on in, boys."**

**I looked over to the tent flap as two figures came in. It was Mirai and Gohan, dressed in Sayjin-style armor. It was white, just like Tien's, Yamcha's, and the other men I saw earlier. I smiled, relieved that they were here and safe.**

**Mirai immediately came to my side and took my hand. He was worried, but he was smiling, like me. He looked almost the same as when we had trained in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber all those years ago. Years I had once forgotten because I lost him.**

"**Hey, how are you?" he asked.**

"**Oh, fine, just fine." I replied.**

"**Katie, come one, tell us." Mirai urged.**

"**There was a cave in. Let's just say I got into a fight with the rocks and the rocks won."**

"**And him?" Gohan asked, thumbing to Cell.**

"**He saved me. A lot. It's complicated, but he's on our side."**

"**My loyalty is to my mate, and that means she has to be stopped. If this continues it will destroy her." Cell justified.**

"**I guess it's safe to say you're the real deal." Tien added.**

"**Yeah, I am." I sighed.**

"**Tien, lets get her into one of those rehab-tanks." Gohan asked.**

"**Yeah, after she's healed…"**

_**I'm so relieved… so tired… but I'm safe now…**_

**AS22: another chapter done, great…**

**Cell: she's obviously tired, so I'll say it once more. R&R! if you don't, well, I have ways of persuasion that don't include a frying pan of doom…**


	30. The Prince Remembers

**AS22: yeah! Vegeta insight! I'm sorry if Vegeta is out of character, but you know, why can't Vegeta be deep?**

**Vegeta: hey, I am deep!**

**Goku: oh yeah? What are you thinking about right now?**

**Vegeta: Kakorot, what are you doing here? You're not even in this story!**

**AS22: actually, he kinda is.**

**Vegeta: darklings don't count!**

**AS22: just answer his question.**

**Vegeta:…**

**AS22: Vegeta?**

**Katie: oh, come on!**

**Vegeta: defeating Kakorot.**

**Group-minus-Vegeta: knew it…**

**Chapter 30: The Prince Remembers**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Our Dimension**

**Vegeta stared up at the night sky, his eyes being drawn once more to where his home use to sit in the sky.**

**Vegeta realized his life had too many good times to have regretted leaving home that fateful day. Katie told him exactly how Frieza laughed, how he had killed his own people, just for the sake of killing the Sayjins that were starting to become a threat.**

_**Kakorot may not remember our world… but in a way, Katrin does. She knew things about our people she shouldn't have because of that show, her future references. And that illusion… she found out everything. How Frieza killed my mother… my father… she knew of blood claim.**_

**_And then she knew who I was when I first came to this planet. She knew my future… part of my past… she knew only Kakorot could defeat me, but she still wanted to fight me… she's quite fond of me … and I am of her…_**

**Vegeta remembered how she bowed and asked his permission to fight with him. How she knew his reason for killing Nappa.**

_**If I hadn't killed Nappa then, Frieza would have kept him alive, broken him even more. I claimed that Nappa wasn't a friend or ally, but he was. I lied, trying to make sure no one knew my heart wasn't as black as I claimed. Kakorot and Katrin showed me mercy. No one had ever done that for me before. Katrin even saved me from becoming Majin, even though it cost her her soul.**_

_**And she's given me a family… grandkids… I must admit, that still sounds odd to me. I've damned and cursed Cell's name so many times, yet he is now my grandson. Katrin saw something in Cell that she saw in me… what that is, I'll never know.**_

"**Vegeta?" he turned to the voice to see Bulma, only a small yellow robe covering her body and her blue hair a mess, "What are you doing out here so late?"**

"**Thinking."**

"**About Katie?"**

"**And Codie." Vegeta added.**

"**I know it's hard, but you know as well as I do what she can do." Bulma said, coming up next to him.**

"**She's fighting the powers of a god. Only another god could stop that."**

"**She's beaten worse, Vegeta. Come to bed. Even the Sayjin prince needs his rest."**

"**I'll be right in."**

**Bulma smiled and nodded, walking back inside. Vegeta looked to the stars again.**

_**Katrin, you're very powerful, I'll admit that, but I pray to the dead Vegetian gods you can win.**_

**Vegeta thought back to his childhood before Frieza took him form his home. He had an Ayokii, and he was a great rider. Vegeta had been quite a hell raiser as a boy before Frieza. Once as a small boy he set a barn on fire and let out all the Ayokii. But after Frieza, he didn't dare to sneeze around the tyrant after the first beatings.**

_**Katrin knows the terror of Frieza as well as I do… now she's facing a new terror and I'm not there… I bet she's really terrified… but she won't show it… she's too proud… too much like me…**_

**Vegeta smirked on that note as he went back inside.**

**1st P.O.V.**

**Darkling Dimension**

**It was easier to breathe. My leg didn't hurt so much. When I opened my eyes, I saw a woman with dark hair and a red ribbon in her hair walk by. She was seen through green liquid. It made sense to me that I was in a Sayjin Rehab Tank. **

**The sterile air coming through my mask smelt funny, but then again I had never actually been in a Sayjin rehab tank in reality. The woman with the red ribbon walked by again, but stopped and jerked forward. Her hair turned from dark to blonde and she looked around.**

_**Is that really Lunch? I never met her back home, but I remember her from the show. Well, shit, the blue-haired one is nicer than the blonde. That's not good, because right now I need a nice person to speak to after all I've gone through.**_

**She looked over to me and smiled. I waved and returned the smile. She started draining the tank, and once it was empty I removed the mask.**

"**Hi! It looks like you're all better! Oh! You look like exactly the Empress, just as Tien said." She said as I stepped out. She quickly held out a towel for me. I hadn't noticed, but I was nude. I lost some of my humility in Purgatory Prison.**

**I was slightly confused. In our world Lunch was nicer when she had blue hair and the NY-accented blonde was always meaner.**

_**The blonde personality is nice? Duh! Opposite!**_

**I mentally slapped myself.**

"**I get that a lot. How long was I inside?"**

"**Oh, let's see… since yesterday."**

"**Another day, huh? Time flies in hell."**

"**Tien use to say that a lot. Well, you have to stay in here for just a little longer, over on that bed. Tien and your friends want to see you right away; I'll just go get them."**

"**Thanks, Lunch."**

"**Oh! You know my name? I didn't think to tell you."**

"**Long story." I sighed.**

"**I never asked your name, I'm sorry."**

"**That's okay, I'm Katie."**

"**A human name, huh?" she giggled, "There is a new set of armor over there. Well, it really isn't new armor, but you're welcome to it just the same." then she went outside.**

_**Nice, but I think I'm glad I never met her at home. Maybe I'd get along better with the mean one… sickly sweet…**_

_**Chi-chi's right about me and the mean ones…**_

**I laughed internally. Again I missed home, but I remembered how that didn't help me before. **

**_I had been homesick so much I got physically sick once. Then Roxx… damn him, this is all his fault all over again. If I can't save Codie soon we may have a big problem… I didn't think… how do we get home?_**

**I looked over the armor as I put it on. It was black armor with black gloves, boots, and red spandex. The spandex was short sleeved and short legs, stopping just above the knee, and good for the heat.**

**Tien came in, followed by Lunch, Mirai, and Gohan.**

"**Nice to see you up and about." Gohan said.**

"**Same to you guys. Every day while I was in that hell I thought of you guys, hoping you were okay. Vegetian gods, I missed you two." I got up and hugged them both, doing my best not to cry.**

**When we finally separated, Tien spoke up.**

"**We're almost set for raiding the castle, we only need a few days to prepare."**

**I sat down, trying to figure out the best way to tell them how I really felt.**

"**I can't ask you and your men to come with me."**

"**You don't have to, if there's a chance of ever beating the Empress, its you." Tien said.**

"**You all are fools, then. You don't get it." I growled.**

"**Katie?" Mirai asked, putting his hand on my shoulder.**

"**There is not a chance of beating her. She has the Angel powers. I had to protect our earth, so I went on and fought her then, but this is your own universe. I'm no protector here."**

"**Katie, you're not giving up, are you?" Gohan asked.**

"**You don't get it." I snapped, standing back up, "Imagine a frail, old man on his deathbed, then imagine a Super Sayjin 4. To the old man, Super Sayjin 4 is like a god. Now times that by 100, and that may make you understand just how powerful the Angel power is. No power can compare, not even Roxx. Roxx was a maggot."**

"**Then why, Katie, was it so hard for you to defeat Roxx and Drazark?" Mirai asked.**

"**Remember that Goku had trouble beating Frieza when he first transformed? How you had trouble defeating Cell?" I asked directly to Gohan so he'd understand. Someone had to know, "You were able to kill Frieza without breaking a sweat." I aimed that to Mirai, "The first transformation is new, hard to control. That's why Tiom had to die when he transformed, he couldn't control the power. Once you have control it's easy. And my pride was my downfall against Drazark. The only reason I beat him when he had my power was, as Katrin said, when you steal the power it weakens."**

"**So-" Tien started, but I knew what he'd say.**

"**No mortal can beat it. Only a god can defeat a god." I said.**

"**So what, we don't fight?" Mirai asked.**

"**No…" I was terrified, but I had to do this to save Codie, "I fight. I don't want anyone to get hurt."**

"**You always say that, and we always go with you anyway." Mirai replied, "I'm not going to let you go by yourself."**

"**Neither am I." Gohan added.**

"**No!" I screamed.**

"**Can I say something?" Tien snapped, "If you really think it's futile, I won't go, but I may have an idea."**

"**Any help would be appreciated." I replied, sitting back down.**

"**Just the 3 of you go, grab your kid, and retreat to the portal. Once you go through, she can't follow, even if she is a god."**

"**Yeah, but…" I couldn't think of an excuse.**

"**The portal is too small to walk through, but someone could teleport through easily, I bet." Tien added.**

"**We'll try it, right? Katie?"**

**I couldn't stand this any longer. No one was listening. I got up and walked outside, passing by my mate and my dearest friend, trying to hide the angry tears.**

"**Katie!"**

"**Just leave me be alone for a while!" I screamed back.**

**I pushed past the tent flap and away from them. They were acting like fools. Then again, maybe I just needed to cool down.**

_**I haven't been out of that tank for 5 minutes and everyone's already asking me to save the day… they all expect me to save them… to stop the bad guy… but I can't… I can't kill a god.**_

**I used my sleeve to quickly wipe away any tears starting to form. I still had the Ki band on my arm, so the people I passed by knew I wasn't the Empress, but they didn't get in my way all the same.**

**I went out toward an old barn and stopped at the fence. There were Ayokii running in the corral. They looked so graceful and so beautiful, and they still had that hint of wild, untamed fury in them that horses on earth have lacked for decades now.**

"**Beautiful, aren't they?" I looked next to me, and there was Cell, leaning on the fence.**

"**Depends." I sneered.**

"**You're scared." He stated.**

"**No I'm not." I replied.**

"**Katie, don't give me that. I've been spending the past few days with you… and I know how my mate acts when she's scared."**

"**Okay… I am."**

"**Why?"**

"**Damn you… you could always get me to talk." I sneered.**

"**Don't you mean your _Teela-hreth_, not me?"**

**(Best friend)**

"**I mean both of you this time."**

**Cell blinked and raised his eyebrow. I had confused him again.**

**I stared out at the Ayokii. I noticed a large green one rear up and kick, frightening a smaller blue one. A black one ran up and chased off the green one. It was smaller, but the green one still ran off.**

"**That black Ayokii is like Katrin." Cell said.**

"**What?"**

"**She use to protect others, even when the enemy was far larger and more powerful. Something about her eyes made people know how powerful she really was or how powerful she could be."**

"**Vegeta once told me he nearly flinched when he looked into my eyes. That never happened to him, not even when Frieza stared him down."**

"**Katrin knew when she was outclassed, but that was rare. Only once, before she got her Angel Powers, did I see that, and that was because of me."**

"**I can't fight her. You of all people must know how powerful she is. I can't compare."**

"**You can."**

"**No!" I snarled, causing an Ayokii to run off.**

"**Then tell me why."**

"… **I had the Angel power once… I know its true power."**

"**Do you?" Cell asked. His tone made me question him.**

"**Okay, what don't I know?"**

"**It is said that the Vegetian gods gave their power to a mortal, it is called _Amfel_ _Tuk_ _Oply_. The gods, _Syreena, Goldeer, Oozark, _and_ Mirean_ created a world and mortals to watch over. But the mortals needed a mortal protector, someone who knew the pain and pleasure of mortality, so they chose one to become the Angel."**

"**I knew that much-"**

"**This one would be a god, a balance."**

_**Balance… **_

**Baba's prophecy popped into mind. I said it aloud.**

"**_Balance is the key to victory. Only when light and dark are equal can balance be found. Only when light and darkness intertwine can they become equal. One world full of light, one world full of darkness, both exist but never meet. Only when parts of these worlds meet can chaos be avoided. _Damn fate and prophecy." I sneered.**

"**What was that?"**

"**A prophecy I heard before I came here… is my life to be controlled for all eternity?"**

"**I cannot answer that." Cell said.**

"**Even before I was born I was meant to become the Angel… I lost my home… twice… I fought creatures that no kid should fight, or even see. Even now I have nightmares. Now though… how can I find balance?"**

"**That I cannot answer as well."**

"**I can't fight a god… unless I become a god." The revelation, so simple at first, yet unattainable.**

"**Then do it." Cell said.**

"**What?"**

"**Meet with our gods and become the Angel."**

"**Cell… these gods may not even be real … how could I meet them even if they do exist?"**

"**We have our ways."**

"**And what are those?" I asked, skeptical.**

"**Come with me, we need to let your family know what's going on." Cell turned looked back, "I know you can do this… its going to be dangerous."**

"**Nothing is ever easy…" I sighed, following Cell back to Tien's tent.**

**AS22: okay, another fav of mine.**

**Cell: she created gods for us… now I'm scared.**

**Katie: oh, it isn't that bad.**

**AS22: thank you, Katie. I know, I'm so obsessed with Sayjins I even created a religion and a language. And that isn't easy. R&R!**


	31. To Meet a God

**AS22: okay, here we go again! Now we see some good stuffs with Katie and Cell.**

**Cell: help…**

**Katie: it isn't that bad… okay, it is. Angel, don't!**

**AS22: sorry, I got to…**

**Chapter 31: To Meet a God**

"**You're crazy! Katie can't- what if these gods don't even exist?" Mirai asked. I looked him square in the eye.**

"**Mirai, a moment ago you were asking me to fight a god. Now you are asking me not to ask a god for help."**

**Cell had just told us about the trials, or at least what he knew. It wasn't all sunshine and daisies, but then again, nothing was in this universe.**

"**But Katie-"**

"**Mirai, fighting the Empress is more dangerous than anything you can imagine. I already told you… I tried to tell you, the powers of the Angel are godly. The only way to stop it is to become the Angel. The only clue we have is what Cell told me, that I have to meet with the Vegetian gods and ask them for help." I was mad still, but I was trying to look calm.**

"**Katie… I guess you're right."**

"**But gods?" Gohan asked, skeptical.**

"**I know, it could be a wild goose chase, but it's the only lead we have. Besides, it may end up being more dangerous if they do exist."**

"**Katie… I know you want to stop the Empress, but… you said fighting her as you are now would be suicide, right? So… I guess I have to agree with you and trust you… but I'm still scared for you." Mirai said.**

"**You don't have to be scared for me, I'm scared enough as it is. Mirai, I'm going to go no matter what you agreed to. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but... gods… until a few days ago I was just going to try to save Codie… but I've seen how bad off this planet is, and if the universe is the same… I couldn't go home without trying to do something about it. Goku was right about my armor of love." I smiled, "Goku protected earth for years, but that didn't stop him from going off after Brolly or trying to defend Namek. I'm not Goku, but I have to do the same now."**

"**You have to do this alone, you do realize that, don't you?" Tien asked.**

"**Yes. Once again, I have to go alone." I sighed.**

"**I can take you as far as the first gate. After that, you will be alone."**

"**How is it again, Cell, that you are able to go but we can't?" Gohan asked. They still didn't trust him.**

"**I've paid my homage to the gods." He replied simply.**

"**But Katie hasn't." Gohan responded.**

"**All Sayjin children are… baptized in the religion, traditionally."**

"**I'm ready to go." I said, trying to keep them apart. "Let's get the Ayokii and get this started." Cell went on out of the tent, but I turned to Mirai and Gohan once more, "I'll be okay, I just have one thing I ask of you. Keep an eye on Cell. Keep him safe… in check, whatever. The same for yourselves, I don't think I could stand to lose any one of you again."**

"**You just stay safe. If you actually meet these gods, don't do anything to piss them off." Mirai said. I hugged him tight, kissing him before I pulled away to hug Gohan.**

"**I'll be back, I swear." I said, slipping out the door.**

**When I got outside, Cell was waiting with the Ayokii. He was a gentleman and gave me a boost onto the beast. It was the same, small, black Ayokii that had chased away the bigger green one.**

"**Speak her name and you can connect, once you connect there is nothing you can't do together. At least, that's what the legend says." Cell said, jumping on top of his red Ayokii.**

"**How do I do that?"**

"**Concentrate. That's all I can tell you." Cell said, taking a few steps ahead of me.**

**I closed my eyes and focused on the animal, she pawed the ground, shook her head, like she was fighting me.**

"_**Let me in, let me call your name. I need your help."**_

"_**No." she responded to me.**_

"**_I have to. I have to save my son, and you're the Ayokii to help me do that. You're not so different from me. You protected that younger Ayokii from that big one, I saw you. I am the same way, I protect people."_**

_**An image came to my mind, a bloody battlefield with dead Sayjins and Ayokii. A small black Ayokii got up slowly, limping, a spear in its rear leg.**_

"_**That was you?" I asked.**_

"_**I lost my family and my rider."**_

"_**Then help me save my son, my family."**_

"**_You're going to leave after that. I'd lose my rider."_**

"_**No, I'll take you back with me."**_

**That was what I sensed. I can bring the Ayokii back with me.**

"_**My name is… Biress P'reel."**_

"**Biress P'reel… black moon." I said the name, and she pawed the ground again.**

"**Ready. Katie?" Cell asked.**

"**I- We are, now."**

**So we began our journey to meet the gods of Planet Vegeta.**

**In the beginning, there was a universe created by superior beings, called Kais. The Kais, in turn, created many beings called gods, or Kamis. Kamis looked over planets, and Planet Plant had four; Syreena, Goldeer, Oozark, and Mirean.**

**An eternity without purpose is a very long time, so the gods created the Tuffles. But the Tuffles advanced too fast and forgot of their gods. In punishment, the gods created the Sayjins. Each god gave a gift to the Sayjins, and the gift Oozark gave was their Super Sayjin and Oozaru transformation. The Sayjins did what their gods asked of them, and wiped out the Tuffles.**

**But even with all their power, the gods could only do so much by universal law. A Super Sayjin was sent to the people, but that too was limited. They saw that their children and siblings needed a godly protector. Thus came to be the power of the Angel Sayjin.**

**This legend I knew, but there was more I didn't. That is where Cell came in. He told me more.**

**When the gods are needed, and prayer doesn't work, you must travel to the rim of the green sky, into the caves of light, and there is the land of the gods.**

**You must meet each god in person and pass their challenge. The first god is always Mirean, and you may only touch her sacred ground by riding an Ayokii, for they are her favorite creature.**

**Mirean is the goddess of nature, light, life, weather, stars, and day. She is the protector of animals, the sister of the Sayjins, and is always seen in the form of a Mirna. Her element is wind, and her season is summer. She is the first goddess I must meet.**

"**So Cell, how do we reach the rim of the sky?"**

"**Well, I have been working on a theory-"**

"**Oh boy."**

"**And I've realized that it is possible to reach the rim of the green sky. When the sun is setting, there is a place I've seen before where the sky doesn't turn green in the autumn. The god Goldeer is in charge of the sun, and his season is autumn, so it makes sense that it was done on purpose like that."**

"**Lucky that I came here in the autumn."**

"**Or fate." Cell added.**

"**_D'rar_! Screw fate."**

**(Damn)**

"**Why are you so set against fate? What happened to you?"**

"**My destiny was to become the Angel, so all kinds of things happened to me to make sure that I did become the Angel. I was saved from Planet Vegeta and sent to another dimension to earth, where I grew up human. When I was 15 I came back to my home, but I didn't know it was my home. I helped the timeline along, I died and went to HFIL, I met your double, I had a family, but then Roxx came along." **

"**Roxx? Is he the one you had to defeat?"**

"**Yes. He was so powerful. He turned Goku, Vegeta, and Mirai to stone during our fight. I became the Angel, and then killed him. Years later I fought another being who wanted my power, and that was when I lost Cell."**

"**I'm sorry. He tried to save you. I cannot… why would someone sacrifice their life for another?"**

"**Love. That's easy. I've done it, but I never actually died by sacrifice. It's silly, I know, but… I kind of want to. I want die in a meaningful way. Maybe that will change one day… I don't really want to die, of course, but I want my death to matter."**

"**How did you die?"**

"**I died once fighting Buu. No, I didn't fight Buu, I gave up fighting him. I had become evil, a spell, like I said to Yamcha. Vegeta died trying to save me, even though I was evil. He died… I would have killed him without a second thought… but I beat the spell because of his sacrifice. Then Buu turned to me. I couldn't imagine that a creature could be more powerful than him, but Roxx turned out to be more powerful. But Buu was so powerful, I knew I couldn't fight him, so I gave up to him. I was killed easily, eaten by him as a piece of chocolate, I think. I went to HFIL. I met with Cell again… he was shocked I was sent there when I died, but I killed so many innocent people."**

"**And Dragonballs were used to bring you back and turn earth back to normal?"**

"**Yes, and that too, is another story. I created a monster… 4 monsters."**

"**Dragons, I presume? The Shadow dragons you mentioned on earth?"**

"**Yes, I created 4 of them trying to stop them from being in the first place. My wish was so pure that it was powerful enough to create multiple dragons. With only 3 others, it didn't take long."**

**We were silent for a while as we rode on. When Cell stopped he jumped down and looked around.**

"**This is the spot."**

**I jumped down and looked to the sky. It was still as red as ever, but the sun was starting to set.**

"**Now what?" I asked.**

"**We wait. A red light from the green sky should give us the path to the caves of light."**

**The waiting was tedious. The sun doesn't set very fast on Planet Vegeta. It can take 3 hours in autumn for the sun to set, and it had only begun.**

"**Katie… why did you like my counterpart so much? Why did you give… him a chance?"**

"**Well… the way I knew the future was by a television show I watched as a kid. Cell was always my favorite villain. And I wasn't the only one from my dimension who thought so."**

"**Why? How could I, good or evil, be so adored?"**

"**I don't know, really… your character is so original…. And you were a combination of all the heroes, only evil."**

"**I'm also part Frieza."**

"**I know, but… you were honorable, powerful… you defeated a Super Sayjin easily. You could use any attack. And I always thought your programming made you evil. Gero made you, after all."**

"**How do you know my fath- Gero so well?"**

"**Part of being the Angel meant I had to know all about myself and so I saw my alternate timeline. I saw that I had become a Sayjin android. I was your younger sister, but I destroyed you then."**

"**I see. So many things have happened to you, but you're still good… still nice… virtuous. My mate… could she ever be like you?"**

"**I think she can. I thought the same about you, and I was right."**

**Cell smiled, a feat I had never seen. Sure, he had smirked, or laughed, but a smile from Cell was as rare as a smile from Vegeta.**

"**So… did Katrin have to face some evil being after she got her Angel powers?"**

"**No… she didn't… not yet, anyway."**

"**Could the evil have been… herself?" I asked, more rhetorical than logical. Cell looked at me with his confused look.**

"**Hey, look, the light… the sky!" Cell stood, mouth agape as I stood to look in the direction of Cell's gaze.**

**The light in the sky was red, as the rest of the sky was, but it was pulsing, like it was moving. He laughed.**

"**Is that it?" I asked.**

"**Yes, I believe so. Keep watching, it should point us to the caves of light." Cell looked pleased with himself.**

"**Why are you so smug?" I asked.**

"**Oh, well… I just proved the unproven. I have evidence of the gods now." Cell smirked, watching the pulsing sky.**

_**He's achieved the impossible. He knows he has, and he's proud. I get that.**_

**I thought that perhaps even if the caves of light led us to sacred ground, the gods may not be there, but I couldn't tell Cell that, not after seeing his eyes light up.**

**The red light in the sky remained as the sun set, leaving a small red streak in the darkness. The light led into the woods.**

"**There, does that lead to the caves?" I asked. Cell mounted his Ayokii, so I followed suit as Cell answered.**

"**Legend says that the rim of the green sky leads to the caves of light." Cell started toward the path, and I was right next to him, "The caves lead to Mirean's sacred valley. You cannot touch her sacred ground without permission, so you must remain on your Ayokii until then. Ayokii and Mirna are her favorite creatures."**

**We followed the red patch of sky into the woods. The Ayokii were nervous, snorting or making their howl-like sound every few meters. Even if there were no gods, the Ayokii were still anxious about our path.**

"**Biress P'reel is acting skittish. I don't like that." I said, looking around.**

"**Use your nose, can you smell anything around?"**

**I breathed in deeply to take in the woodland air. I could smell the trees, flowers, and something similar to cinnamon. I could smell water nearby as well.**

"**Nothing that would make these beasts nervous." I said. Cell didn't look satisfied, so he sniffed.**

"**My sense of smell is nothing compared to yours, but what about a scent of cinnamon? Did you smell something like that?" Cell stopped, and I came around his front.**

"**Yes, I did."**

"**That's not g-" then Cell wasn't there. It was so fast, whatever it was, that I didn't even see it rip Cell off the Ayokii, which was now running away. I looked around, but I didn't see Cell, I only heard his scream.**

"**Cell! Cell! Where are you?" I jumped off the Ayokii and looked around, but I couldn't see anything, no trace of footprints, no signs of a struggle, nothing.**

"**Biress P'reel, find the red one and bring him back here. I'm going after Cell." In response she pawed the ground, agreeing.**

**I sniffed the air and felt out for Cell's Ki. The smell of cinnamon was near, and Cell's Ki was falling fast. I ran, not wasting time.**

**_I can get to the caves myself… I have to save Codie… but Cell saved me, more than he had to. And I couldn't bear to lose him again._**

**I ran with the speed of an Ayokii, a feat which made my muscles burn, but I couldn't waste time. The caves would disappear after the rise of the sun, and Cell's Ki was dropping at a dangerous rate.**

**I ran more, leaping over fallen logs and small streams like they were nothing, not slowing down, even after sliding down a rocky hill, I couldn't slow down if I wanted to save Cell.**

**_He has to be okay… he's strong; a monster couldn't kill him so easily. Even though he isn't as strong as Cell was in our universe… he has to hold on._**

**I came to a small clearing and stopped, ducking behind a tree as I saw a large figure. The scene I witnessed as I turned to peek around the tree was horrifying.**

**There was a large creature towering over Cell's still form. The creature was at least 3 times as high as Cell, and the scent of cinnamon was coming from it. Its weight was on its hind legs, but it was bent over on its front legs, crouched-down. Its fur was gray, its eyes were yellow, set back into its flat face, and either it didn't have a neck or it was so bulky you couldn't see it. Its mouth was opened wide, showing off rows of razor-sharp teeth, was only a few feet over Cell's body.**

**_Why isn't Cell moving? Why isn't he fighting back? Why is he just laying there? What is that thing?_**

**The answer wasn't pleasant. As I watched, I saw the creature's tongue was inside Cell's chest, like a proboscis. Light was moving from Cell's chest to the creature's mouth.**

"**Hey! Stop eating my friend!" the creature kept its tongue in Cell's chest, but turned toward me.**

**Cell turned his head turned me, his eyes were wide and he was gasping for air. The creature whipped its tongue out of Cell and back into its head, and then turned his whole body toward me. He took a step forward and knelt down, roaring at me and spewing drool all around.**

"**Yeah, I'm yelling at you!" I felt down deep and let loose my own roar, the roar of the Sayjin.**

**The monster roared back and charged. I jumped up into the air and kicked it in the head, sending it back a few yards onto its back.**

**I stood and roared again, tapping into my primal side. The creature stood and shook its head, and then it sent a wave of energy at me. I was able to dodge, but it was a lot of energy it shot out.**

**_That thing wasn't eating Cell, its taking his Ki!_**

"**You've forced this upon yourself. Super Gatlik Wave!" the purple blast erupted out of my hands and through the creature, ripping it apart.**

**Not wasting a second, I ran over to Cell. He hadn't moved, and even with his white skin he looked pale.**

"**Cell? Come on, get up dammit." I checked, but I didn't feel a pulse. I couldn't sense any Ki, either.**

_**Now what do I do? He's not dead yet, and I refuse to let him die. I refuse!**_

"**I refuse to let you die again!" I raised my power level and put my hands over Cell. I was trying to give Cell some of my Ki.**

"**If Goku could give Frieza some of his Ki, I can give you some of mine! I refuse to let you die! I won't lose you again!"**

**I starting moving my Ki, pushing it from my gut to my hands and out to him, forcing it into his reserves little by little. His body was rejecting it.**

**_Why is this so hard? Goku gave Ki to Frieza, and Frieza was cut in two. Why can't I give Cell some of mine?_**

"**Work, please, work!" I said, pushing more Ki to him. Finally he opened his eyes, grabbing my arm.**

"**-good at all." Cell said, finishing his sentence.**

"**Thank the Kais. Or in this case, the Vegetian gods." I said, grabbing him into a hug. Just as when I last hugged Cell, he awkwardly hugged back.**

**I helped Cell back to his feet and we started back to the Ayokii. He had to lean on my, but you know, I didn't mind it at all.**

"**It was a creature called a Ki-sucker."**

"**Aptly named." I said, smirking.**

"**They're not supposed to exist, they guard the caves of light. We have to be close." Cell said, swaying. I put my arm around his arm, holding him steady, "Thank you."**

"**Hey, you carried me in your arms for two days, holding you steady is the least I can do. I mean that." I said, squeezing his arm.**

"**A few more seconds and that thing might have killed me." Cell said, rubbing the mark on his chest.**

"**Technically… it did. I couldn't find a pulse." I replied.**

"**It will be a while before my Ki levels return to normal… that's how they feed, first they suck out your Ki, and then they eat the vulnerable body."**

"**Even when you're half-dead you sound like an android." I said as Cell started leaning more on me.**

"**I cannot help that I'm an android, just like you cannot help that you are a Sayjin."**

"**I use to be human."**

"**So I heard. How was it?"**

"**Dull, harsh. If you look at my life as a Sayjin, at least it has meaning. As a human I was going nowhere like the rest of the herd."**

**Cell didn't respond as we walk back toward the Ayokii. Biress P'reel's snorting got louder as we got closer.**

**We got to the same spot where this all began, and the Ayokii were just a few yards away. This time, instead of Cell helping me onto my Ayokii, I had to help him onto his.**

"**Can you still ride?" I asked as Cell grabbed onto the mane.**

"**Sure, _Rit Nariss_ has been my Ayokii for years."**

"**Red Wish? How'd you get him out here?"**

"**Telepathy, of course."**

"**Why hasn't the Empress found you yet?" I asked, thoroughly confused. If it had been my mate, I would have been looking.**

"**Well, it's only been a few days, and this band on my arm has been hiding my Ki signature from Scouters. As long as I don't use too much Ki, she won't be able to find me."**

"**Did you tell her you were going to feed or something?"**

"**It wasn't a lie, I just went to Purgatory after I fed."**

"**We don't have all night, you might as well head back to the base camp and get some rest. I think I can handle things from here."**

"**Are you sure? I could stay to help you." Cell said. I smirked.**

"**I'm sure, and besides, with your Ki so low you wouldn't be able to help me as much as you normally could."**

"**Alright, but I'm going under protest." Cell said as he turned around on the Ayokii.**

"**So noted. Thank you, Cell. If all goes well, the next time you see me I'll be a goddess." I smirked, and then started following the red sky once more.**

"**Katie!" I stopped and looked back.**

"**Yeah?"**

"**Good luck and… I love you, Katie! So you have to come back and help my mate!"**

"**Wouldn't miss it!" I waved as Cell took off over the hill.**

_**Cell in our universe never said it… never said I love you… and I regret never getting around to tell him the same.**_

**AS22: see, it was a bit heart-warming. Right?**

**Cell: sure…**

**Katie: R&R or we'll sick the Ki-sucker after you!**


	32. Trial of the Gods P1

**AS22: yeah! My goddesses are here! Don't worry, I tell you who they are before you 'meet' them.**

**Katrin: yeah, in paragraphs after paragraphs…**

**Vegeta: well, no fighting, but you see the weaker gods.**

**AS22: (whacks Vegeta with frying pan)**

**Vegeta: …(out cold)**

**Katie: I think he meant cause they weren't warrior gods but more like protectors.**

**AS22: oh, I know what he meant. Sexist pig-monkey-man…**

**Chapter 32: Mirean's and Syreena's Trial**

**Trial of the Gods part 1**

**The path led right to a cave mouth, and then it faded. There was only black starry sky now.**

"**Alright, here we go Biress." I said, patting my Ayokii on the neck as we started walking into the cave.**

**If you're wondering why they're called the caves of light, that's an easy one. The walls were covered in stones that were luminescent. They were different colored bands, starting with white, then yellow, green, blue, and then pink. These bands were only a few centimeters wide a piece, so the glow appeared like white light, like the rainbows you made in science class. I couldn't help but stare at the wall.**

**_This is nice… it's so pretty… so shiny too… wait, Cell said something about this… what did he say?_**

_**XxX**_

"_**There are many dangers when going to visit the gods."**_

"_**I guess that's why so few go?" I asked, smirking.**_

"_**This is serious, Katie." Cell said.**_

"_**Yeah, sorry Cell. Now, what were you saying?" I asked.**_

"_**First, many creatures guard the path. If they do exist, it could get messy, so you have to keep your eyes open."**_

"_**Eyes open, got it."**_

**A lot of good that did.**

"_**The next one is the cave itself. The colors mess with your mind and distract even the most mature, intelligent people, so you have to keep focused on your path. I don't think you will have much trouble with that.**_

"**_Next is the gods. Don't make eye contact until they allow it, don't call out to them, let them come to you, and introduce yourself in the proper manner. Do you know how to do that?"_**

"**_My name, my father's name, and then my grandfather's name, right?"_**

**XxX**

_**I have to keep focused or I'll stray off course and never save Codie.**_

**I looked straight ahead and didn't look back.**

**So many times in my life peace has begotten war, beauty turned to ugliness, and love to hate. But at the same time, I have seen the opposite. Despair has turned to hope, hate into admiration, and evil into good. I've seen strong warriors fall, and I've seen enemies sacrifice themselves for friends. This instance was no different. The beauty of the caves would be my downfall if I let it, and I wouldn't let it.**

**The end of the tunnel came into view, the mouth black, almost refreshing compared to the bright colors. Biress P'reel stepped out of the cave and into a large hot chamber, filled with the scent of flowers. The scent was almost overpowering due to the intensity.**

**The chamber grew bright once more, hot and windy. This all made perfect sense, Mirean is the goddess of summer, light, wind, and nature, among other things.**

**Then there was a flash of bright light, and I had to close my eyes due to the intensity. Biress P'reel reared back, nearly throwing me off. If I hadn't grabbed on around her neck, I would have hit the floor. When I opened my eyes the chamber was gone, and a large field took its place. **

**The field was covered in flowers, and the sky was bright red as it is at noon on Planet Vegeta. The flowers were all shades of colors, even colors unknown to the human eye, such as shades of yellow and blue that didn't make green, but something else completely different.**

**Then, as I was expecting, there was a large black and silver Mirna running across the field. Biress P'reel snorted and ducked her head down, as though acknowledging the presence of the higher being. Mirean takes the form of the Mirna, which were created in her image.**

**The goddess trotted toward me, and stopped when she got a few meters away. I kept my eyes down as she circled me.**

"**_Who are you, mortal?"_ she asked.**

"**I am Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar." I replied, keeping my gaze to the flowers.**

"**_What is your clan?_"**

"**My clan…?"**

"**_You do not know?"_ she asked.**

"**No… I don't."**

"**_You are from the Biress Mirna clan. Your clan was under my guard."_**

"**I didn't know about clans…"**

"_**What is it you seek from the gods, child?"**_

"**I seek my lost power, the powers of the Angel."**

"_**You are from a far off world, a world like ours. You had our gift, but you gave it back. Why did you give it back if you needed it?"**_

"**Good question. I didn't think I'd need it anymore, and I was frightened of what may have happened if another powerful creature came to take my powers and hurt my friends."**

"_**Hurt? And death lingers on your mind. As a being of immortality, I cannot comprehend death and pain. That is why we gave to you the Angel power. Tell me of death? What is it?"**_

"**Death is… inevitable. It is the end of life, the gift you gave to the Sayjins, great Mirean."**

"**_Come down off that beast and stand tall."_ I did, and she continued to stare at my Ayokii, _"Pitiful beast, you've lost your pride."_ She walked closer and touched her horn to Biress P'reel's head. She stomped, and she started to glow. When the glow was gone, she was a white and silver Mirna.**

"**Wow, Biress P'reel… you're a Mirna."**

"**_Her new name is Yael P'reel."_ Mirean said.**

**(Silver Moon)**

"**Great Mirean, please, I need the Angel powers again, even if it's just for a little while."**

"**_What is your quest? Why do you need the powers of a god? Isn't Tiom Gha Ore enough?"_**

**(SSJ4)**

"**No, I'm afraid it isn't. I have to battle my counterpart in this world. She has the Angel Powers as well." I said, looking down. The flowers around my feet were dying, "I'm killing your flowers." I stepped back, but those died as well.**

"**_I can fix them, make them live again. Child, why do you wish to battle our Angel?_"**

"**She has my son."**

"_**There is more."**_

"**She has... she is ruining the universe. Only defeating her in battle will let her see what she has done."**

"_**Your armor is love… your sword is hope… your shield is your heart. You must speak to my mother next, she will decide if your quest is worthy to seek out my father and brother."**_

"**What will happen if I am not worthy?"**

"_**My mother will let you leave. My father and brother would end your life. Especially my brother."**_

"**I understand. I wish to continue."**

"_**As you wish, so shall it be…"**_

**The flowers started to fade, as did the sun and the scent of the flowers. Last to fade was Mirean.**

"**Thank you, great goddess." I called.**

"_**Good luck, child."**_

**XxX**

**Syreena is the mother of the Sayjins, and her form is that like a Sayjin. She is the goddess of Ki, the moon, the sea, love, peace, and the protector of women and children. Her element is water and her season is spring. Of all the Vegetian gods, I could consider myself the safest around her. But then again, I could be wrong.**

**I continued through the tunnel in which we had been previously traveling. And I must add, riding a Mirna is much different than riding an Ayokii. She was much calmer and tamer, as though she knew she could be rid of me easily if she wanted to. She had pride again, as Mirean had said.**

**As it had when I met Mirean, the tunnel began to change. It became warm, but not hot, and the room slowly filled with water. The tunnel disappeared, leaving me floating in deep water. Yael P'reel was able to swim to the sandy beach to my left, but I couldn't seem to move at all as I fought against the water.**

"**Good girl, P'reel, stay on the beach." I called. She howled in response as I was pulled under by the tide.**

**I swam back toward the surface, taking in air, but I was pulled under again.**

**This time I looked around. The water was clear and still, which didn't help me in my understanding of why I was being pulled down. There were no other creatures or plants, only water. I couldn't see the bottom, either, only darkness.**

**I fought against the water, back toward the top, but I couldn't move. I was grabbing at the surface, kicking toward the bottom, but it didn't help. At last my lungs couldn't take it, and I inhaled.**

**But it wasn't water that I swallowed, it wasn't air either. I was breathing underwater.**

**_Makes sense, enchanted water, the goddess Syreena must be near._**

**And as if my thoughts were cues, a form appeared right in front of me, as though she had teleported. A goddess could do more than teleport, of course.**

**Syreena was much taller than any being I had ever met, a good couple of feet taller than me, perhaps a few yards even.**

**Her hair was golden, not like SSJ, but actual gold. Her clothes and eyes were shades of blue, as the water. Designed on her gown was the moon, which was going through its cycle as I watched. I kept my eyes down as she moved around me, floating though the water, not even showing any effort as she moved. I had to move my hair out of my face as it flowed with the water. I held my hair with one hand as she came to my front.**

"**Look at my face, child. Who are you?"**

"**Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar." I replied as I looked up. She was beautiful.**

"**That is your title, I asked who are you?"**

"**I do not know any better way to tell you, great Syreena."**

"**You were born in my element cycle; water is part of who you are."**

"**This I know…"**

"**You're troubled? You need the help of the gods."**

"**My son was taken from me, and I need the Angel power once more."**

"**Oh, that's who you are." She said.**

"**Excuse me?"**

"**You are Katrin the Angel. You have the armor of love, the sword of hope, and the shield of the heart."**

"**I am more than that, great Syreena."**

"**Then tell me, who are you?" she asked, moving closer.**

"**I… I am a mother… a wife… a warrior… and a mortal."**

"**Your quest is to save your son, but that's not all. You plan on trying to save this world as you would your own. But this isn't your world."**

"**I have to try."**

"**Why?"**

"**I…"**

"**Why!" she roared, causing the water to shake.**

"**Because it is my duty!" I cried.**

"**Your duty? Your duty doesn't concern us."**

"**I need the Angel Powers, but I don't want to keep them. Please, I just need them for a little while. I beseech you, great goddess."**

"**It isn't it my place to decide. You must speak with my mate. But if he deems you unworthy, you will wish to have fought your counterpart without the Angel powers."**

"**I understand. Thank you, great Syreena."**

**I kicked toward the surface and swam to the beach. Once I was on Yael P'reel's back the beach and surf changed back to the tunnel.**

"**Well, so far so good. Two down, two to go."**

_**But I fear these next gods will be more fearsome than their predecessors.**_

**AS22: well, Vegeta is still out. But I'm calmed down. How was it?**

**Katie: R&R, or Vegeta's fate will be yours…**


	33. Trial of the Gods P2

**Vegeta: good, now we will see some action.**

**AS22: Vegeta, say it.**

**Vegeta:…**

**AS22: Vegeta, say it!**

**Vegeta:…**

**Katie: just say it!**

**Vegeta: I was a sexist-monkey-man, and I am… sorry. I didn't mean that females were weak—**

**Katie/AS22: Vegeta! To the point!**

**Vegeta: I meant it as that they are more of the protectors of my people.**

**Chapter 33: Goldeer's and Oozark's Trial**

**Trial of the Gods part 2**

**Goldeer is the father of the Sayjins and his form is that of an older Sayjin male. He is the god of battle and war, the sun, the mountains, the deserts, pride and honor, and the protector of warriors. His element is earth, or _Korot_, and his season is autumn. In mythology, he is like Zeus. He created the planet and the Tuffles, but wasn't satisfied with the Tuffles, so he next created the warrior race of the Sayjins to wipe out them out. In Greek mythology, Zeus many times made men, but each group of man wasn't satisfactory, so he wiped them out and replaced them with the next group of man.**

**Another legend goes that Goldeer was against the transformations of his children from the start. He never agreed with SSJ or Oozaru, but he did finally agree to the Angel form after many years.**

**The tunnel went on forever as I kept moving forward. Yael P'reel was steady as ever, but I was bored out of my head. Even though I knew danger could hit me n the face at every turn of a stone, I couldn't help but let my guard down as time seemed to stand still.**

**And as it had happened twice before, the room changed on me. Now I was standing in the middle of a desert, and the sun was beading down on me.**

**The figure of a large man came into view. His hair was golden and long, and his beard matched. His eyes remained blue, as had Syreena's eyes, and his tail was erect behind him. I never saw Syreena's tail.**

"**Who are you mortal child?" his voice bellowed out across the desert, echoing and reverberating off walls that didn't exist.**

"**Do you wish to know my name or who I am?" I asked, keeping my eyes down.**

"**I want to know your name. Look me in the eye when you speak to me. Come off that beast." His voiced echoed again as I jumped off of P'reel. I kept a hand on her side to keep her steady.**

"**I am Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar."**

"**You seek the Angel power. You shall be permitted to pass on if you can answer me a single question." His voice didn't echo that time.**

"**What is it, great Goldeer?"**

"**I am the god of war and battle, pride and honor. My question is this. A Sayjin soldier goes to battle and fights valiantly. He dies without honor even though he fought with honor. How could this be? You have the ability of asking me three questions in turn."**

**I thought on it, and many ideas ran through my head. Many theories, many thoughts, but nothing certain.**

"**Did he die later from injuries received in the battle?"**

"**No, he died on the battlefield."**

"**I have to admit, you have me stumped. I wasn't raised as a Sayjin, so this question is especially hard."**

"**Many brave and honorable warriors have been unable to answer my question. They all died in dishonor."**

**I kept racking my head.**

"**I think I have an answer for you. One more question. Did he lose his honor previous to the battle?"**

"**No, he had his honor." Goldeer responded.**

"**I have it. The warrior was female, impersonating a male. She was revealed as a female as she died."**

"**Very good, Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar."**

**It was an ancient, outdated law, but one I luckily knew about. The armies were all male, but the females being Sayjin wanted to fight. If they were caught, they were killed, just like on earth.**

"**When the time of your judgment comes, I shall be in your favor, but Oozark, my son, is very, very hard to please. No one has ever gotten past him."**

"**Thank you, great Goldeer."**

**XxX**

**Oozark is the brother of the Sayjins, and his form is of a giant ape, hence the name for the Oozaru form.**

**The Greeks had Hades, and the Sayjins have Oozark. He is the god of death, night, darkness, the SSJ transformation, and the Oozaru transformation. His season is winter, and his element is fire. Opposite, but both are destructive.**

**Yael P'reel was acting skittish, moving slowly and timidly as we moved down the tunnel. The air grew colder and the scent of fire became strong. Fire has its own smell, usually attributed to whatever is being burned, but I didn't smell anything in particular being burnt, just the scent of fire. Kind of like cake, you usually attribute it to the flavor, like chocolate cake.**

**The air seemed to fill with the anxiety I was feeling. Before my eyes, the chamber transformed into a snowy forest. Yael P'reel stomped at the snow, sniffed it, then snorted.**

"**What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen snow?" I asked, patting her neck.**

"**She most likely has not." I looked over, then up high to the face of a giant red Oozaru. I quickly diverted my eyes from the face of the god, Oozark, "Snow is rare on this planet, sometimes it takes many years between snowfalls."**

"**I presume you are Oozark, the brother of my people?"**

"**I am. And you are Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar. I have been listening as you spoke with my father, mother, and sister."**

"**Then you know my plight. Please, help me." I begged.**

"**I like to see the faces of those who beg to me." He said. I looked up and saw his eyes were blue.**

"**I need the Angel Power again. I don't want to keep it, I just need to rescue my son and fight the Angel of your universe."**

"**It is my choice. My family has agreed, but it is my choice now. I am in charge of transformations. Tell me, is it true you believe you can control the power of the Oozaru form?**

"**I don't think, I know. I've down it before." I said. Oozark roared laughter, throwing me off my Mirna and onto my butt.**

"**You have a strong will, strong pride. Then do it, transform under this moon and do battle with me."**

"**I cannot defeat a god, that is why I have come seeking your help!" I screamed.**

"**You do not raise your voice to a god!" he lowered his head so his chin nearly hit the snow then he let loose another roar, causing me to tumble backwards into a tree.**

**I stood and rubbed the back of my head. I'd have a lump as sure as snow is cold. I looked back up at Oozark.**

"**I beg your forgiveness, great Oozark."**

"**You do not have to defeat me, only prove that you can do as you say and control the beast within you. Do this, and the powers of the Angel will be yours once more." He growled.**

"**Fine, I'll prove it." I said, turning to the moon, "To you and to Vegeta."**

**I stared up at the sky and breathed in deeply. The Vegetian moon was full, shining brightly, more brightly than the moon on earth or the false moon Vegeta can make. The Bluntz waves hit my body, I could feel each ray hit my skin.**

**The rays went in through my skin to my blood, feeding my mind and body. The transformation was starting slow. The Bluntz waves moved through my body, through my veins, and the power started to affect me.**

**I started to grow, my transformation speeding up. My body jerked rigid, and fur sprouted all across my body. Since I was in armor, my clothes didn't rip apart. Soon my height equaled Oozark's, and after a moment more I stood, ready. Or at least, I thought so.**

**As with last time, my body started to rampage. I couldn't stop it, I was separated from my own body. Oozark jumped away and laughed.**

"**Foolish child, it seems I'll have to cut off your tail to calm you."**

"_**No! Don't! I can control it, just give me a moment!"**_

"**You spoke out?"**

**I kept focused, and soon I calmed and controlled my body. I looked over to Oozark and smirked a beastly smirk.**

"**Are you ready, great Oozark?"**

"**You're… you're controlling it? I must say, I'm impressed, but let's see if you can keep your hold as we battle!"**

**Oozark opened his mouth wide and I could see the flames forming. Before he could even strike out at me, I fired at him. I could feel the flames in the back of my throat as I fired.**

_**This is different than last time… I'm remembering everything in detail… I'm completely focused… how am I able to do this?**_

**I thought last time I had control, but this time I seemed to have more control, better control. Would I be able to keep control like this for long?**

_**I have to end this as quickly as possible to ensure I can keep control.**_

**I roared, letting lose some of my rage as I tried to keep control. I jumped high and tackled Oozark, but he just as easily threw me off and got up. As I got up, he tackled me, keeping me off balance. As he came at me again, I blasted at him with another fire ball.**

**Oozark held his face and roared, thrashing around as he roared in pain. I didn't dare make any retort since he was a god, but on the inside I was excited. It wouldn't last long.**

"**You… you injured me. You can't have control, you just can't! I refuse to believe you can control your animal form!"**

"**Then come at me again, great Oozark!" I cried as he ran at me.**

**We locked arms and held each other at bay, each pushing back at the other with all our strength.**

_**I'm winning… I'm actually winning!**_

**To end it quickly, I took his arms and threw him behind me, quite easy since he was already trying to push against me in that direction.**

**Oozark just lay on the snow and laughed. I was out of breath, but he was still strong and rearing to go.**

"**Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar, I have a question for you. Do you believe you could actually beat me in our battle?"**

"**You are a god, I am only mortal. I believe that if we seriously fought on, you would easily kill me. I couldn't kill you."**

**Oozark stood up and snapped his fingers, causing me to shrink back to normal size and appearance.**

"**You truly had control. If you did not, your animalistic side would have led you to believe you could defeat me. I hate to admit this, because no mortal should be able to control their animal form. Then again, your family lineage isn't normal. Your uncle had limited control."**

**The chamber changed from a single snowy plain to a large white room. In this room set four chambers, and I was in the middle between them. The room was set up in quarters, and it became clear that I was set in the center of the world of the gods. In front of me was the snow, to the left was the beach, behind me was the flower field, and to my right was the desert. The gods took their respective places.**

"**Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar, you have come to us seeking the powers of the Angel. But we all have one question for you. Why did you give up the power in the first place?" Goldeer asked.**

"**For the same reason I need it now. I gave it up so I could remain with my family. Now I need it so I may rescue my son and return to my family back in my dimension."**

"**There is another reason, a reason you expressed briefly to Mirean."**

"**I have seen how the Angel in this universe is destroying and killing and causing chaos. I wasn't going to battle her but to only save my son, but after seeing what she has done, I have to."**

"**Why?" Goldeer asked.**

"**Because… it is as great Syreena and Mirean had said. My armor is love, my sword is hope, and my shield is my heart. These things make up who I am, and I have to follow that."**

"**We cannot fully comprehend all of what you have told us, Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar, but that is why we gave the Angel power to the mortal most worthy in the first place. Katrin, daughter of Kanji, son of Rothgar is your enemy. She is worthy as well, but she has gone mad with grief with the loss of a child over 18 years ago. We cannot comprehend this either, but you can. You shall have the power. You are the balance, the light whereas she is the dark. You must go, embrace the darkness. Save her before it is too late."**

**Then out of no where a wave of black came right at me. I ducked down, but I couldn't avoid a direct hit.**

**AS22: ooooh… evil cliffie…**

**Cell: where was I?**

**Katie: next chapter.**

**Katrin: yeah, and if you want to read it, you better R&R!**


	34. On to War

**AS22: alright, I'm baaaaaack!**

**Cell: you guys didn't have to put up with her all weekend.**

**Katie: she had a party Saturday, but no one came.**

**AS22: you guys did!**

**Katie: as you can see, she's a bit… crazy.**

**Cell: so please, review and make her sane again, please?**

**AS22: who wants to be sane? Sane is dull… and anyway, onwards! R&R!**

**Chapter 34: On To War**

**Nothing had happened, so I opened my eyes. I was in the middle of the Rebel base again. No one noticed that I had just popped in, sitting on a Mirna. And for that, I was thankful, because that would have been very embarrassing and awkward.**

**_Did I really just do all of that? I don't feel tired… I don't feel different at all, but here I am sitting on a Mirna. They said they gave me the power… they said I am the light… the prophecy? But how do I embrace the darkness, even if it really is my counterpart?_**

**Besides the fact that I felt fresh and normal, my armor and Yael P'reel were clean.**

"**Well Yael P'reel, shall we go and tell the others what we did?" she pawed the ground and snorted in response as we moved forward.**

**Now people took notice of my presence. I guess riding a large, silver Mirna wasn't common. I rode up to Tien's tent and hopped off P'reel.**

"**You can go on to corral if you want."**

"**_I sense battle soon. I want to stay here."_**

"**Fine, fine." I patted her side and walked into the tent.**

"**Katie!" Mirai stood and hugged me.**

"**Hey, how'd it go?" I saw Gohan come over as well.**

"**They're real. I met the gods."**

"**When Cell came back alone-"**

"**Cell, how is he?"**

"**He's in better shape than when he arrived here yesterday."**

"**I should have known… we've already been here 10 days. I hope Codie is doing okay."**

"**He's your son. I'm sure he's doing fine." Gohan said.**

"**So, tell us happened." Tien said.**

"**I want Cell here. Where is he?"**

"**He's with the Ayokii. He really likes those beasts." Gohan said.**

"**So do I, or didn't you notice my Mirna?"**

"**You've tamed a Mirna?" Tien asked.**

"**Well, she didn't start off as a Mirna. I'll explain once I return with Cell." I turned and went back out again.**

"**Come on, P'reel. I'll walk you back to the corral. I won't leave you behind when its time to go to battle."**

**She snorted and moved easily with me as we headed back to the corral. Cell's familiar green form sitting up on the fence.**

"**Hey, met any all powerful beings lately?" I called as I ran and jumped on top of fence next to Cell. P'reel ran and leaped over the fence, running to meet with her friends.**

"**Katie, you're back already? And is that a Mirna?"**

"**It was Biress P'reel, but now she's Yael P'reel. Mirean changed her into a Mirna."**

"**So you really met the gods? All four of them?" Cell's eyes lit up again.**

"**Yeah. I bet you wish you could have been there, huh?" I asked, elbowing him in the arm. He blinked in confusion.**

"**What makes you say that?" he replied, looking out toward the open red sky, looking serious.**

"**Every time the gods come up your eyes light up."**

"**Well… it's complicated." Cell said, looking over at me, "But if anyone can understand, I bet you could."**

"**Sure, try me." I said.**

"**Well… I was created in a lab. My creator was a man, playing god was his life. But it took him many years just to create a single android, and it took him many years just to create my first cell. If there are beings in the universe that can create life in mere moments… well, that's astonishing to me."**

"**I see…"**

"**I knew you would." He responded.**

"**When I learned of the Tri-dimensional Council, my thoughts lingered on them. They transformed me into a human, sent me to another dimension to live, then returned me as a Sayjin. But once I met them, I started to loathe them. They only used me when I was needed, then I was useless and meaningless to them. They were even going to kill me because they feared I was too powerful. The Vegetian gods may have granted me my power, but the Council was in charge."**

"**Perhaps without a planet the gods ceased to be." Cell said.**

"**Whatever the case… I think maybe it would be better if you never meet the Vegetian gods. You'd lose your curiosity and enthusiasm about them."**

"**Perhaps…"**

"**Let's go back to the base. I'll tell you and the others all about the gods." I slipped off the fence and hopped over it.**

"**Fine." Cell nodded and hopped over the fence, landing gracefully.**

**XxX**

"…**And then I was sitting on Yael P'reel's back in the middle of camp." I concluded.**

"**Amazing…" Cell was in awe from the very first word.**

"**So… do you feel any different?" Gohan asked.**

"**No, I don't. I don't know if I have the power or not. All I do know is that it won't reveal itself sitting around here talking."**

"**Then let's set off first thing tomorrow-"**

"**No. I'm sick of waiting. Let's go right now." I said, standing up.**

"**Are you sure? Katie, you just got back-"**

"**I'm ready and willing. If you guys aren't up to it, then stay here, but I'm ready to fight and go home."**

"**Well, even if you don't have the Angel power, your zest could defiantly knock the Empress down a notch or two." Tien said.**

"**Right, then lets get the Ayokii and get out of here." Mirai said.**

**We headed out to the corral to get our Ayokii to go. Mirai, Gohan, and Cell were the only ones going with me.**

**I was in awe as I hopped onto Yael P'reel's back over my friends. Gohan, who I first met at the age of 4, was now a grown man, and my better for years in many ways. When we first started to train together, he couldn't do anything. After Piccolo was killed, Gohan changed. He became a powerful warrior, a warrior that was nearly unstoppable.**

**We started off toward the castle. Tien and his men bid us farewell and let us leave. I came up beside Mirai.**

"**Mirai."**

"**What is it, Katie?"**

"**Do you ever miss the days before we Bonded?"**

"**Huh?"**

"**Well, its just… we were always blushing and laughing. As soon as we Bonded… everything changed."**

"**How's that? I still love you, you know."**

"**Yeah, yeah, it isn't that… but back then… most people have that kind of feeling for years before they get married. Most people have that innocent love for a long time."**

"**Love is love, Katie. It doesn't matter exactly how we show it. I've always loved you." Mirai said.**

"**And I've always loved you."**

**Even though I said it, I couldn't help remembering how we acted in those early days.**

**XxX**

"…_**And then there was Ginyu himself, switching bodies with me and dying instead of becoming stuck as a frog-" Trunks had started to laugh. "What?"**_

"_**I'm sorry, but your accent-" he was laughing again.**_

"_**My accent?"**_

"_**Your accent from the country. Where was it? America? It isn't really bad, but some things you say sound funny."**_

**When we had our first real talk.**

"_**Well excuse me!" I said, exaggerating my accent. We both laughed then. Since I had been living here for the past five years my accent has faded, but Trunks was right, I still said some things with an accent. But the good news is I have learned some Japanese while I've been here.**_

"_**Sorry about the interruption. Please, go on." Trunks said.**_

"_**Well, it doesn't matter. I was rambling…"**_

**XxX**

"…**_I'm rambling again, aren't I?"_**

**Telling Mirai about his father.**

"_**Yes, but you answered my question perfectly." Trunks smiled, the first time I had really seen him smile sincerely. Sure, he laughed with me about my accent, but this smile was different.**_

**XxX**

"_**Whoa!" I heard Trunks call out. I turned to see Goku facing Trunks.**_

**Right after I first fought Cell.**

"_**Sorry about that, but I focused on you Ki to find you. I didn't think the two of you would be together." Trunks and I both blushed, and after noticing that we both turned an even darker shade of red.**_

**XxX**

"_**Katie, aren't you coming?" Trunks said as he turned back to face me.**_

"_**Yeah, I'm just trying to memorize the feeling so I can transform again later." I replied.**_

**The first time I became a SSJ.**

"_**Well, since dad's gone, there was something else I have been wanting to say to you."**_

"_**Yes?" I let go the transformation and powered down as I replied.**_

"_**Well, Katie, I like you. No, that's not it, its -damn- I think I'm in love with you." Trunks said that and made me blush, as it did to him.**_

"_**Trunks, I like you, too. But it won't work. Believe me, I love you as you love me. Hell, I loved you since I saw you back home on television."**_

"_**That's kind of creepy. Oh, sorry, I didn't mean-"**_

"_**I know." I interrupted.**_

"_**I don't care if it won't work, can't we at least try? Dammit, I love you!" Trunks nearly screamed.**_

"_**Trunks! Vegeta will hear us!"**_

**When we admitted our love.**

"_**I don't care! You're the only woman I've ever felt this strongly for."**_

_**Well, I lost it. I admit it, I lost it then. I ran over to Trunks and squeezed him tight, and he did me as well. And damn, it felt good.**_

"_**Trunks, if you're willing to try, then I'm willing to try."**_

**XxX**

**Those days were great. And now, once more, we were going to battle. But this time, I swore to myself, I wouldn't let anything happen to my family. They would not get hurt if I could help it.**


	35. To Arms

**Chapter 35: To Arms, To Arms**

**We rode the great beasts of Planet Vegeta for a day, a night, and then another day. The hot sun beat down on us with no relief in sight, but at the speed we were moving the breeze kept away some of the heat. We stopped plenty of times to rest, but I could have kept moving without stopping, as could Yael P'reel. I wanted to get this fight over with as soon as possible.**

**Cell didn't say much, but I figured that was because of Mirai and Gohan. They were my family, and I had no idea how they acted around each other while I was facing the Vegetian gods. I decided to ask.**

**I rode up beside Gohan. Cell was in the front, leading us to the castle, and Mirai was behind us at the time. Gohan, I had noticed, never took his eyes off of Cell. I could understand that, the Cell he fought all those years ago killed Mirai, Goku, absorb thousands of innocent people plus two androids, and kidnapped me. That was hard for Gohan to get over, and I couldn't blame him, though I loved Cell, I couldn't blame Gohan for hating Cell, no matter what form he was in. At least he didn't hate Codie.**

"**Gohan?"**

"**Oh, hey Katie. How are you doing?" he asked.**

"**I'm fine. Say, how did you guys fare with Cell while I was gone?"**

"**We did okay, I guess. Then again, he was barely conscious for the first few hours." Gohan said, finally diverting is gaze from Cell to me.**

"**He was attacked by a beast called a Ki-sucker. I killed it, but it nearly killed Cell. I had to give him some of my Ki so he could survive."**

"**Like my dad did with Frieza?"**

"**Nothing like Frieza." I replied.**

"**I didn't mean-"**

"**Its okay if you did, he is Cell after all." I said, looking up at him. He looked so noble, so good, it was hard for me to remember the evils Cell had committed in his younger days; both Cell's.**

"**After he recovered a bit he was… odd. Compared to the way I remember Cell, anyway."**

"**He's more like the Cell I remember. You know, he wants to help us. I'm not forcing him or anything."**

"**Why? I don't get it." Gohan responded.**

"**He can see now that his mate is living a life of self-destruction. He wants her to stop before it's too late, and I am the only one who can stop her."**

"**I see. He stayed with the Ayokii most of the time."**

"**I think that they may be his favorite animal. He was in awe when we saw a wild Mirna a few days back."**

"**That's what your animal is?"**

"**Yes, the goddess Mirean changed her from an Ayokii. She said she gave her back her pride."**

"**And you really have control over your Oozaru form? I remember that the times I changed, I never even knew I changed."**

"**I figured it would be a good idea to have control, just incase I needed it. It's a good thing I did."**

"**Yes, it was. I hope you really got the power, or else we may be in real trouble."**

"**You mean you came with me, even though you're not sure if I had the power?" I asked, shocked.**

"**Yeah, of course. You'll always be Aunt Katie to me, no matter how strong you are."**

"**Thanks Gohan, I needed that."**

**Yael P'reel didn't like it, but I made her slow down so I could speak to Mirai. She wanted to run at top speed, and I couldn't blame her. Running has a sense of freedom that even flying lacks. When you fly, you use and then lose Ki, but when you run, you're only limited by your strength, and with Sayjins and Mirna, that limit is very high.**

"**I don't think your Mirna liked that you slowed down. What's up?" Mirai asked.**

"**I just wanted to talk to you. How'd you do with Cell while I was gone?"**

"**Fine, I guess. We never really talked. He stayed with the Ayokii mostly."**

"**That's what Gohan said." I replied.**

"**Then why'd you ask?"**

"**Because I only knew what he told me, I didn't know how you were."**

"**He isn't the Cell I remember." Mirai stated.**

"**No, he isn't." I let the restraint go on Yael P'reel and she ran up to match with Cell's Ayokii.**

"**Hey Katie, how are you doing?" he asked.**

"**Fine, how about you? That was quite a scare you had with the Ki-sucker."**

"**You admire me so, but you didn't see how I froze when that thing grabbed me." Cell said, lowering his eyes, "I had a perfect opportunity to hit it, kill it even, but I froze."**

"**When I was growing up as a Sayjin, I had a fear that made me freeze… turned me evil once, too."**

"**You, scared? Or admitting to fear-"**

"**I know, I don't admit my fears easily. My friends all know already. Now it's your turn." I said.**

"**Are you sure? Do you consider me a friend?"**

"**Yes, I do." I looked up into the sky as a flock of Vegetian birds flew over head. The reminded me of cardinals, "It was called the Darkness. It was the servant to Roxx. It haunted me from the day I returned to the dimension I was born in. It was a horrible mass of dark energy… it was what scared me to the point that I let Babi-Dee turn me Majin. Then later, when I went to fight Roxx, I faced it again. I was walking down a dark hall with Vegeta when it attacked. I froze… it nearly strangled me to death. If Vegeta hadn't… well, the point is, he transformed into a SSJ and the light energy scared off the Darkness temporarily."**

"**What happened to the Darkness?" Cell asked.**

"**I faced it again later, while Roxx was torturing me. I was able to destroy it." I recalled, shivering in the memory.**

"**I'm a coward… I have lost my honor."**

"**I don't think so. You were brave enough to fight for your life." I said.**

"**Yeah, I did… I did… hey, there it is!" Cell said, stopping.**

**We stopped and looked. The castle was just like King Vegeta's castle, only bigger. As we stared, another flock of Vegetian birds flew overhead.**

"**And I think she's ready for us." Mirai said. I looked up above the castle where Mirai's gaze led. Up in the sky was a large, dark, winged form.**

"**That's no bird…" Gohan said.**

**AS22: it's a bird… it's a plane… no, its-**

**Cell: Superman?**

**Katie: no, wait, Supergirl!**

**AS22:(coughs) no, it's the anti-Angel!**

**Katie/Cell: ooohhhooohh…**

**AS22: R&R!**


	36. Clash of the Angels

**Chapter 36: Clash of the Angels**

**We sat there and watched, but she didn't make a move.**

"**Why isn't she attacking?" Gohan asked.**

"**She wants me to come to her." I said, nudging Yael P'reel forward. She didn't want to go forward, and I didn't blame her.**

**The others followed as I made way toward the castle. The closer I got, the lower Empress Katrin came to the ground. Every now and then her wings would flap, helping her descent. Like I said before, flying with Ki is limited and it uses up your Ki reserves, but flying with wings is about the same as running.**

**We got to the boundaries of the castle grounds Katrin started walking toward us. I could finally see what my other looked like as an evil Angel.**

**Her wings were black like raven feathers, and the whole aura about her was dark. Her clothing, which with me was like light wrapped around me skin tight, was the same for her with darkness. Even her hair seemed darker than normal.**

"**So, my other has finally come. I knew you would once I found out about your breakout." She whipped her head over toward Cell, "I should have known. I'll deal with you once I've dealt with her." She looked back over at me as I hopped off Yael P'reel, "You tamed a Mirna. Oh, before we start this little suicide by Angel, I have a gift for you. Two, actually."**

**First she threw me my sword.**

**_My sword of hope, Shikara…_**

"**It won't do me much good against an Angel." I replied.**

"**For luck, then. You'll need all the luck you can get when you're trying to fight me. Here is your other gift." She turned as Kakorot, Raditz, and the other darklings we faced on earth came out of the castle. Kakorot had someone with him and pushed him to the ground. When he got up I felt my heart skip a beat.**

"**Codie?"**

"**Mom!" Codie ran over and we hugged.**

"**I knew he wasn't under my control, what I don't know is how this happened. You might as well take him, once I kill you I'll kill your family as well."**

"**I won't let that happen. This is between us, and it will not go past that." I said, taking a fighting stance. I knew it was useless, but I put a hand on my sword instinctually.**

"**You can't possibly defend or offend against me! You can't even hope to hurt me!"**

"**I'll try, gods help me."**

"**The gods are dead." She sneered. She slapped me, drawing blood with four distinct claw marks across my cheek. I held my face as I straightened up to answer her.**

"**They seemed fine when I met with them."**

"**Oh, I see." She smirked, "You did go see them. You tried to get you Angel abilities. Then transform and we can have a real battle of equals!"**

_**I can't transform now… I just can't period. I don't know how at will.**_

"**What's the matter? Why don't you transform?"**

"**Perhaps she can't, my lady." King Vegeta said. Darkling Trunks, Gohan, and Goten laughed.**

"**You can't, huh? Well maybe I can beat it out of you!"**

"**I never learned to do it at will. I was only able to transform fully twice." I admitted.**

**Katrin laughed, and believe me, it wasn't with me, it was at me.**

"**I'll admit, I haven't transformed many times myself, but at least I can!"**

"**I would have learned, but I had to give them up to stay with my family. Surly you can understand that." I replied.**

**Then Katrin's foot connected with my chin, sending me back hundreds of yards. There was no comeback, no warning, just the fight.**

**To tell the truth, if I had been prepared, I would normally have preferred it this way. But I wasn't prepared, so when I got up I growled, hissing in pain and tasting blood in my mouth.**

**I didn't make a comeback either, I just flew at her, but she disappeared and I felt searing pain running through my spine as I hit the ground again.**

**I got up and wiped blood from my mouth onto my arm. So far I hadn't been seriously hurt, but at this rate it wouldn't take long. I locked eyes with her as she disappeared again.**

**I tried to feel her out, but she hit me before I knew where she had come from. I feel to my knees, holding my stomach.**

"**You were much more fun on earth. Why aren't you fighting back?" she was mocking me, so I bit through the pain and stood to face her again.**

"**I could… ask you the… same."**

**She smirked, and then disappeared.**

_**She twitched her tail-**_

**I was hit again with her fist to my left arm, and I heard a snapping sound. I didn't feel much pain, but I knew my arm was broken.**

**This time I watched, and her tail twitched again before she disappeared. Gohan told me that I twitched my tail when I teleported, so I closed my eyes and waited.**

_**She's to my left!**_

**I jumped into the air and spun around, and once her face was back in my sight I kicked hard. I flipped back and landed, gasping for air already.**

**When I looked I saw that she didn't even stumble back from my hit. She didn't look hurt at all, not even a scuff mark.**

"**Shit…" I hissed.**

**Before I could react, I was hit with a Ki attack. My skin burned as I hit the ground, a perfect circle cut through my clothes and into my torso.**

**I looked over to Mirai, Gohan, Codie, and Cell. They knew not to try to help me, but the look in their eyes was enough of a motivator for me.**

_**I don't know what to do… I can't transform… I don't remember how. The key was love, but how to use that love?**_

_**Cell was right all along… love is weak… her hate makes her transform… or does it?**_

"**Katrin…" I was so out of breath, it was hard to talk, "What makes you transform?"**

"**What?" she was in the middle of preparing another attack, but she stopped.**

"**I know love was part of my transformation… what's yours?"**

"**You're stalling-"**

"**If I'm stalling, why am I still sitting in the mud? Tell me, what makes you transform?"**

"**Hate! Hate makes me transform!" she screamed.**

"**That can't be… the Angel power is given to the most worthy mortal. I'm not sure how that's me… but love is part of that."**

"**Shut up!" she finished her blast and threw it. I had to time to dodge, no energy to block, and if it hit, I'd die no doubt.**

**XxX**

**I closed my eyes as the blast got close, but nothing happened. I opened my eyes, and the blast was right there, only inches away, just stuck. I blinked, making sure I was seeing what I was really seeing. I looked back behind me, and my family was just sitting there, shocked and unmoving.**

**Then a familiar shape took form beside me. It was my reflection, and if it wasn't for the light I would have mistaken her for Empress Katrin.**

"**Katie."**

"**Inner light… but how?"**

"**You have the power again. Use it. Use me. Fight, don't just sit there." She said, giving me a hand up. Then she vanished.**

_**I have to fight… to love. I love Codie, Mirai, Gohan, Goku, Vegeta, Cell… I love them all! I have to fight, I have to save my family!**_

**Time started moving again, and the blast was right there in my face. I raised my hands and pushed back hard, holding it in place. I powered up to SSJ and threw it over my head, up and away from the battle site. The Empress wasn't pleased.**

"**How-what- how did you do that!" she screamed.**

"**With this…" I used my love as I powered up, and I felt the changes. A new set of bones grew in near my shoulder blades and burst out of my back. White feathers grew on these new bones. Light seemed to flood out of pores as it wrapped tightly around me like a sheet. My hair became golden and my eyes blue, as last time. I was becoming the Angel once more.**

"**What! This is impossible! Its not- how dare you face me like this!" my counterpart was angry, so mad she wasn't thinking straight.**

"**It's about time someone challenges you, Katrin. You're hurting people, innocent people! I can not stand by and then just leave this universe without fighting you!"**

"**Then you'll die at my feet. I'll stare you straight in the eye as I crush your still beating heart." She sneered.**

**The image of 18 in the alternate timeline holding Piccolo's heart popped into my head. That's all my double was now, an android. She felt no love, no joy, but plenty of hate.**

**I charged, not wasting a moment, and she met me head on. We began exchanging attacks, punches and kicks. She had me at a disadvantage as I did my best to avoid hits. She was attacking so fast and so hard it was all I could do.**

**_Goku… Vegeta… shit, I need help! But I can do this… I can do this, I have to… I can't wait for two people who aren't coming… I can't give up just because she's beating me… I have to be my own fighter. Right now, I have to be like Goku and Vegeta, not the little girl they left behind._**

**I jumped back and as my feet hit the ground I pushed off and tackled my counterpart. She hit the ground, and I powered up a Ki blast, threw it, but she dodged just in time. She flew past me and then heat hit my back, my legs went numb and I fell to the ground.**

"**Katie! Get up!" Mirai cried.**

"**I'm trying!"**

"**She can't. Electricity, remember? One of the abilities we possess. Your legs are numb. You can't escape!" she started up another attack, the Armageddon Strike.**

_**Damn! I can't move! But… no, I can't teleport out of the way, either. If I move the blast will destroy the planet.**_

"**Katrin, stop! At this power that attack could destroy the planet! I know you couldn't destroy your home!"**

"**You're right, but it would only destroy the planet if you move. If you stay there the only one to die will be you. Which will it be, just you or the planet as well?" she threw the purple oval-shaped attack, and I saw her eyes flash in confusion.**

_**She just heard something… something from the inside…**_

**I felt pain in my legs, and that was a good thing because that meant they weren't numb anymore. I couldn't move as well as I normally could have, but I was able to stand. The attack came at me, and I grabbed it, pushed it back. In a surge of power I was able to toss it back, but it only hovered.**

_**If I don't do something the attack will be used like a giant beach ball until it explodes.**_

**I powered up a Kamehameha Wave and hit the attack, pushing it toward the sky, into orbit was the idea. Katrin got that as well.**

"**Clever, but not clever enough!" she flew into the air and started a different attack to push the Armageddon Strike back down.**

"**Riot Javelin!"**

_**Bardock's attack?**_

**The larger blast was contained between my Kamehameha Wave and her Riot Javelin. Ki and light hit the more powerful blast and shot off to the sides like water hitting a ball.**

"**Katie!"**

_**What am I going to do? I can't let this planet die, I refuse to let anyone die! I refuse to lose!**_

**I tried something totally new, but it didn't occur to me that it was strange or a long shot. I knew I could do it.**

**I started turning my Kamehameha Wave into a Super Gatlik Wave. I knew it could be done, and I knew if anyone could do it, an Angel could, so I tried, and the increase in power was just what I needed. Katrin broke off and fell to the ground to avoid the attack. I beat her in this round.**

**XxX**

**Back in our universe:**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Vegeta was training in the Gravity Room with Trunks and Goten. Vegeta was about to deliver an attack, but he stopped short. Trunks and Goten froze in confusion, Vegeta never just stopped in the middle of a fight. **

**Vegeta powered down and headed to the door of the Gravity Room.**

"**Dad, where are you going?"**

"**To the sight of the Vortex. I just sensed Katrin."**

"**Wait up Vegeta, we'll go with you!"**

"**I bet she'd be glad to see us there." Trunks said. Vegeta just smirked as he kicked off.**

**AS22: god vs god… angel vs angel… who will win?**

**Cell: tune in next time to find out!**

**Katie: and R&R! if you don't, you won't get a cookie!**


	37. When You're Solitary

**AS22: this chapter is another newby for me. I tried to song-fic it a bit with my own stuff, so I need no disclaimer for it. I call it _Solitary_. Hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 37: When You're Solitary…**

**No one said anything. There was dead silence on the grounds as I stood up, breathing hard already. I couldn't be sure, but I think the darklings were silent because someone equaled their Empress, and my friends were quiet because of the power surge. They could see it now, that the Angel Power wasn't just a more powerful version of a SSJ. They saw it was godly in its own right.**

_**I grew up surround**_

_**By those who think they know me**_

_**All I can say is**_

_**It's sad when a loner gets lonely…**_

"**If it wasn't for the fact that you look worse than me, I'd think I was in trouble." My counterpart said, brushing a little dirt off her knees.**

"**Yeah, I've needed this for a long time." I said, shaking off my pounding head. My legs were throbbing, but that was good. The pain I felt right now was good.**

"**Needed this? You mean death?" she laughed.**

"**No, a real battle, one on one without help. You get that, don't you? I've always had someone to help me, and I've always needed it. But I think I needed it because I knew it was there. Now… now it's only me and you fighting. Anyone else would just get in the way."**

"**A battle between gods… you've fought gods, monsters, and demons, but can you defeat an Angel?"**

"**Lets find out!" I cried.**

**She fired a blast at me and it was all I could do to block it with my own attack. The kick I delivered threw the blast to the sky, and before it was out of sight I charged and punched Katrin in the face, throwing her back. I didn't let her recover and attacked again, delivering a devastating round of repeated punches to her gut. I finished up with one last kick, which threw her back several yards before she stopped. She didn't move, and I knew she wasn't finished yet, so I took the time advantage to catch my breath.**

_**Even when I was with you**_

_**And all our family**_

_**I always knew**_

_**I was solitary…**_

**I glanced over to the viewers of our fight. Kakorot and King Vegeta were standing mouth-agape, Dark Gohan looked mad, Dark Goten, Trunks, and Daimoa didn't look to happy either.**

**Mirai was smiling at me, and when he saw me look at him he gave me a 'V for Victory.' Gohan saw me and just nodded. Cell… I couldn't tell if he was happy or not. He was torn between his love for his mate and wanting her well being, to helping me defeat her so she could be better off like she use to be.**

**And Codie… well, he was finally getting to see why I was so admired by his grandfather and Goku. He was getting to see me as the Angel, and he had a smirk that mirrored Vegeta's own.**

**Just seeing my friends proud of me and depending on me made my spirit soar. A smile graced my face for the first time in a long time.**

_**The smiles I share**_

_**The love I see**_

_**It doesn't mean anything**_

**_When I'm solitary…_**

**I turned back to Katrin, who was just starting to get off the ground. She saw me and hissed in anger.**

"**I think I can see why you enjoy this fight so well… but how well will you like it when you're alone?" she looked at my family and grinned.**

"**No!"**

**She turned to them and shot off a large blast. For me, it wouldn't have killed me or seriously hurt me, but to a mortal it was deadly.**

_**I remember all the times we shared**_

_**And all the things we saw**_

_**I think of your smile**_

_**And my heart becomes raw…**_

**I teleported to my family and held back the blast. I wouldn't lose anyone, or I'd die trying.**

_**I remember your laugh**_

_**And I'm never alone**_

_**When you fell**_

_**My heart turned to stone…**_

"**Hang on guys! It's gonna get messy!"**

"**Katie!" I turned to see Gohan there next to me, helping me.**

"**Gohan, what are you doing? You'll be killed!"**

"**Maybe, but I still have to try. A Super Sayjin 2 Mystic should be some help!" he cried.**

"**Super Sayjin 2 Mystic?"**

"**No matter of help will be enough! It won't be so easy this time!" Katrin screamed.**

**The blast changed colors and it went through me, right through me, but it didn't hurt. It was like I wasn't there.**

_**The blood was on the ground**_

**_Your smile wasn't here_**

_**My heart shattered into a million pieces**_

_**And all I could do was stare…**_

"**Run! Get out of there!" I called back as I covered my head.**

_**Gods of planet Vegeta…. Please!**_

**The light died down, and the first thing I heard was Mirai.**

"**Gohan? Gohan!"**

_**I lost my nerve**_

_**I lost my friend**_

_**My mind went blank**_

**_It was the end…_**

"**Dad? Are you okay?"**

"**By the Vegetian gods…" that was Cell's voice.**

**I couldn't move. I was afraid of what I'd see when I turned. Katrin's triumphant smirk didn't help my heart.**

_**A sword of hope… armor of love… shield of my heart… what good is it if I can't help those I love?**_

**I shook my head and turned around. Gohan was on the ground, and he wasn't moving. Closer look proved that he had a large section of his chest missing.**

_**When we first met you were but a child**_

_**And I've seen the man**_

_**You broken my icy heart**_

_**The child sleeping on the sand…**_

**I looked over to Mirai. His left arm was gone. The blast took his arm along with Gohan's life. He fell to his knees.**

**Tears would not fall on this day. I couldn't let them, for I had a mission. I had to avenge Gohan and Mirai. Cell saw the fury in my eyes, but he stepped up to me anyway.**

"**Katie, I know this must hurt… but the best way to avenge your cousin and mate is to save our world. Please, there's already been enough death. Don't kill her."**

**Cell's words made my blind fury quell to a low roar. He was right, killing her wouldn't fix the damage here. She needed to be shown somehow that her path wasn't the right path. I would use my rage to keep me going, but I would control it. I wouldn't kill her.**

_**When I fight I'm never alone**_

_**Even though I claim to have a heart of stone**_

_**You softened it for me**_

_**Maybe I'm not so solitary…**_

**I walked over and knelt down next to Mirai.**

"**My Love… I cannot restore your arm now, but I can make the pain go away and the bleeding stop."**

"**Do it." He replied.**

"**And I know this will be hard for you to understand. You've lost Gohan before… I have not. But I cannot kill Katrin."**

"**What! Katie, that's why we're here now. That's why you became the Angel again."**

**I placed my hand above his injury and started to will some of my energy to it. I could at least keep him from bleeding to death.**

"**I knew you wouldn't understand. I cannot kill her, but I will stop her, I swear. I love you Mirai No Trunks, always remember that. Even when my actions seem… not right, I guess. When my actions seem bad or wrong… I will avenge Gohan and when we return home I'll restore your arm, but for now, just remember…" I pulled him close and kissed him as I healed his arm. Once it was healed I pulled away, then I struck him across the back if the neck.**

_**Not so solitary…**_

"**Mom…?"**

"**Codie… I need your help, son."**

"**Whatever you need, just ask."**

"**I love you, Codie. As long as you and your dad are here you're a liability. I can't fight if I have to worry about you getting killed. Take your dad and go back to the rebel- damn… you don't know where that is."**

**I looked around and saw Yael P'reel. I whistled and she started to me.**

"**The horse thing? Why'd you call it?"**

"**Her name is Yael P'reel. She is a Mirna. Ride her to the rebel base. Stay there and wait for me. I will come for you, I swear."**

"**I know," Yael came over and Codie put Mirai on top first. He hopped up and turned back to me, "You've already come for me once."**

_**Solitary…**_

"**Yael P'reel, to the rebel base, to your friends. Show my son the meaning of speed. Goodbye son."**

"**This isn't goodbye!" Codie called as the wild Mirna took off.**

"**Cell, I do care about your safety as well, but I know you wouldn't leave. Get back and don't get in the way. It's gonna get messy from here on."**

"**Damn right I wouldn't leave." He said, walking around toward Katrin's family and friends.**

**I turned and faced Katrin. She looked bored, but let me take my time.**

"**Alright, now shall we fight like true warriors? Honor and pride, lives at stake, and no tricks."**

"**No one tells me how to fight." Katrin growled.**

**_I watched the sun set alone_**

**_Each heartbeat is sore_**

_**And I think to myself**_

**_I'm not so solitary anymore…_**

**AS22: so, how was it? Good? Bad? Confusing? R&R!**

**Cell: I'm confused, so don't worry, because if I'm confused , you can be too.**

**Katie: (to the side) he's on another 'perfect' rant. R&R before he says it**

**Cell: I'M PERFECT!**

**Katie: too late…**


	38. Gohan

**AS22: Okay, here's a bunch of flashbacks, but there is fighting, so no problems. R&R!**

**Chapter 38: Gohan**

"**Aunt Katie, why'd Mr. Piccolo take us all the way out here? I miss my mommy!" Gohan was only 4, and I was 15. It was day one of our training.**

"**Gohan, believe it or not, you have a great hidden power. Piccolo thinks training you will help save us from the Sayjins. I'm your aunt, so Piccolo thinks I can become stronger too."**

"**Can't we just go home and let daddy beat them?"**

"**Your daddy won't be enough to stop them."**

**I got off the ground and looked around. There were no tress in sight, and the only animal I had seen was a snake.**

**Of course, it didn't stay that way. A large eruption in the background got my attention. Gohan started to cry.**

**_I can't baby him… but I can't let anything happen to him either._**

**I ran to Gohan's side and look toward the sound. Suddenly the source of the sound burst through the rocks. It was a t-rex, and he looked hungry.**

"**Aunt Katie!"**

"**Gohan, run!"**

**Together we ran toward the nearest rock face, but it turned out to really be a dead end. The t-rex was right on our tails and had us trapped.**

"**Gohan, jump, now!" I cried as I jumped up to a ledge a few meters high, "Gohan!"**

"**I'm scared!" he cried. I jumped down and got in front of him. I didn't know what I could do against a dinosaur, but I'd try to protect Gohan.**

**The t-rex bent down and sniffed me. He opened his jaws and roared, then lunged at me. I punched it in the jaw, and it backed away, but came back angry.**

_**Damn, I have to protect Gohan, at least until his hidden powers release.**_

**The t-rex lunged again, and I dodged, but not well enough. His hard head slammed me into the wall, and I couldn't move as he lunged again.**

**Then I heard Gohan scream in anger.**

"**You leave my aunt Katie alone!"**

**Gohan jumped and kicked the dinosaur in the chin, throwing him back. The dinosaur got up, blinked and lunged at Gohan again. Gohan jumped and the t-rex hit the wall. I got up and moved out of the way as the t-rex got up and ran off.**

"**Take that you dumb reptile! Way to go Gohan! Gohan?" I looked, and Gohan was on top of the cliff, too high for me to even fly with my energy low because of the t-rex head-butt.**

"**Aunt Katie, I'm scared! How did I get up here?"**

"**Gohan, I can't come after you, I lost too much energy. Either you get down on your own, or wait until tomorrow."**

**XxX**

"**Katie, this is Dende, the Namek boy you just helped us save." Gohan said. Dende hid behind Krillen.**

"**Hey there, Dende. I'm Katie."**

"**Hi…"**

"**What's the matter, Dende?" Gohan asked.**

"**I know what it is. Namekians don't have females." I laughed a little.**

"**What? Then how do they have babies?" Gohan asked.**

"**You mean _you_ know, Gohan?" Killen asked. Gohan's face got really red.**

"**Well I… I kinda… I know you need a mom _and_ a dad, okay?" Gohan spat, growing redder.**

**XxX**

"**Katie? How did you stand being with Cell for those ten days?"**

**It was late at night, only a few weeks after Cell's defeat. Only a few weeks since Goku's death. We were on the roof, like always.**

"**Can you keep this a secret?" Gohan nodded, "I kind of liked Cell."**

"**What?" I heard the anger in Gohan's voice. Even I was surprised at my statement.**

"**I dunno… he was kind of… nice to me. I dunno, maybe it was just relating to my captor." I said.**

"**I can never forgive him… he killed 16… Trunks… dad…"**

"**Yeah, I know… but I still have this… this feeling in the back of my mind, deep in my heart."**

"**Even though he killed Trunks, your _mate_?" he asked.**

"**It's complicated, Gohan. Maybe once you're in love you'll see."**

**XxX**

"**The Great Sayaman is here! All who worships evil's might shall fear me!" I was walking down the street to get some supplies when I heard the voice. I knew it was Gohan, just finishing a battle of good vs. evil. Hearing him made me laugh. I ran into an alley and teleported to the Orange Star High School, where I waited. Soon enough he was there.**

"**Gohan." I was smirking.**

"**Katie, what are you doing here?"**

"**I missed the fight, but I heard the aftermath." I said.**

"**Cool huh?"**

"**No. Lame, Gohan. I thought I told you no mottos or poses?"**

"**Awe, come on!"**

"**Gohan, I'm sorry, but its lame!"**

**XxX**

"**You don't understand the joy I feel right now. I'm free, totally free. _The Darkness can't get me here._ You'll like it on my side. Join me. Together, nothing can stop us."**

"**You're still in there, Katie, or you wouldn't want to try to get us on your side." Gohan said.**

"**Katie is Katherine, and Katherine is Katie. You have to get that by now."**

"**The only way we would believe that is if you did something really bad." Goku said. I smiled.**

"**You mean like this?" I moved my arm and powered a blast aimed toward the audience.**

"**No, you wouldn't-"**

"**Yes I would." I blasted, and the explosion was tremendous. The screams were like music, and the scent of blood excited me. The entire section that I aimed at was gone. **

_**It's wrong!**_

_**But it's so fun.**_

"**Katie!" Vegeta said in shock**

"**Katherine. Fight me now, or this will only continue."**

"**Fine, follow me." Goku said.**

"**Whatever you say."**

"**Gohan, go and check on Supreme Kai. You have to keep him safe." Goku said, though he didn't mean for me to hear him.**

"**Yes, Gohan, go keep Supreme Kai safe like a good boy." I hissed, as he looked at me one last time before he left.**

**XxX**

"**Alright Katie, translate this. _Gohan iz tuk-oply-h'reth laan Katie_."**

"**Uhh… hey! You aren't stronger than me!" I cried.**

"**Right now I might be. I have the Mystic form, remember? But at least you knew what I said. Gohan is much stronger than Katie. Now, shall we pass on to some Namekian?" we laughed.**

**XxX**

"**Gohan, hey! What are you doing here?" I met with Gohan near Orange Star High School. I was about to enroll Kanji.**

"**Oh, yeah, well, you know, I got caught on the committee for the reunion at Orange Star." He said, scratching the back of his head.**

"**Really? How long has it been?"**

"**It's the 35th anniversary."**

"**Really? Wow, you're getting old kid."**

"**Look whose talking." We laughed and walked on to the school together.**

**XxX**

**Memories of Gohan flooded in as I stared at Katrin. We have been together since he was four years old, and I fifteen. That's 45 years, and this was the first time I had lost him. (I really don't count when Majin Buu killed everyone on earth because that was a planetary genocide.)**

**He was like a son to me, really. I was there when he grew up. I was there with him before the Sayjins. We went to Namek together. He didn't give up on me when I became Majin, but then again, none of my friends did. He helped me in my training for Roxx, and he helped me when I lost my memory. I could always count on him, and I had let him down.**

"**Gohan… I swear I'll avenge you…"**

"**What was that, sister?"**

"**I said I'll avenge Gohan! He was like a son to me!"**

"**Now you know the pain of losing a child."**

"**I've lost my children before, I was just lucky that I could get them back. But I do know the pain… you lose yourself along with them… you're not whole anymore. I know, Katrin. I figured it out."**

"**And what's that?" she was oblivious to what I meant.**

"**I know you hear a voice. I know you're angry and sad and scared because you lost your son at birth." I kept my voice really low so only we would hear. Her eyes grew wide, and her clenched fists started to shake.**

"**You know…? How…? So what if you did, it won't help you!" she screamed.**

"**I want to help you, Katrin, not hurt you."**

"**You're pathetic! I killed your Gohan, and you don't care?"**

"**Don't you say that! I loved Gohan!" I screamed.**

"**Then prove it, avenge him!"**

**I screamed as I flew at Katrin, but she put up an energy shield. I used my wings to stop before I hit the wall.**

"**So it's down to you shielding yourself against me?" I cried, "Angel's Light!" my attack broke her shield like glass.**

**I didn't waste any time before I started my counter attack. I charged and got right to her face and set off a Ki blast. I jumped back and started another attack.**

"**Ka…"**

"**What are you doing?" she asked, but I ignored her.**

"**Me…"**

"**It this supposed to scare me?"**

"**Ha…"**

"**It's an attack from earth, Empress." Kakorot called back.**

"**Oh, it is, is it? Well, I'll just do a Sayjin favorite in return… Big Bang…"**

"**Me…"**

"**Attack!" / "HA!"**

**We attacked at the same time, and once more we were in a stalemate.**

_**We are exactly equal… I cannot stop her…**_

**I wouldn't allow myself to lose or stay tied with her, not even if we both had to die. I powered up and teleported behind Katrin, letting the attacks go off without restriction. I grabbed her tight with my arms and tail and flew high above the planet's surface.**

"**What are you doing now, sister?" she growled. I grabbed hold tighter as I ignored her. I started to transfer my life energy-Ki into attack-worthy Ki. I would do the only thing I could to kill a goddess. That was to use all of the energy, attack-worthy Ki and life energy-Ki, to bring her down. I only hoped it would work and that I wouldn't die in vain. We'd both die. Cell could restore the universe to the way it should be.**

**_I'm going to kill us both… but it's all I can think of…_**

"**Shit… sister, are you insane? You'll kill us both!"**

_**Ironic that she asks me if I'm insane…**_

"**It's the only way. Only a god can kill a god." I growled as I kept replacing the two Ki types. Cell couldn't hear us from up here, but I knew he could sense what I was doing.**

"**Katie, don't, please! Don't kill her!"**

"**I'm sorry, Cell." I called back to him.**

"**No, Empress!"**

"**Katrin!"**

"**Katie, don't!"**

**I looked, and all of her friends and family were begging me to stop. King Vegeta, Kakorot, Raditz, they all called to me. One way or another I remembered something the counterparts of these guys had done for me.**

"**Don't kill my cousin, please!"**

**I couldn't do it. No matter how evil she was, no matter what she had done, if people cared this much about her then I couldn't kill her. I let her go and started changing my Ki back to its normal levels as I landed.**

_**Stupid… just like Goku and Frieza… how could I stop?**_

**I looked over to the darklings as Katrin landed. They looked relieved, and confused, that I let her go.**

"**Why… why did you stop?" Katrin looked confused as well.**

"**You have people that care about you. No matter what you have done to me or my family, I can't kill someone who is so well cared about." I said, lowering my eyes. I felt a little shamed; I figured that was my Sayjin genes.**

"**They care…?" she looked over to her family. I saw her eyes flash, and she shook her head, "That was foolish!"**

**She was frantic as she powered up the largest attack yet. It was just a giant Ki ball, and giant only begins to describe its size. As she did this, she condensed it into a smaller ball and then threw it. I slapped it away easily, and she stood dumbstruck.**

**AS22: aww… they love her, even now!**

**Cell: well of course- wait a minute, what happened to that attack?**

**AS22: …**

**Cell: Angel…**

**Katie: R&R, Cell just foreshadowed the next chapter!**

**Cell: no, wait, what happened? Hello? No, come back, I want to know!**


	39. Embrace

**AS22: This chapter always gets to me… sniff… R&R!**

**Cell: save me!**

**Katie: shhh! You'll give it away!**

**Chapter 39: Embrace**

**I stood and took in air that was badly needed, and so did Katrin. Nothing seemed out of place until I tried to feel her Ki. I realized there was a local Ki that was missing. Before there had been 8 others watching the fight, and now only 7. I looked over to the other, and counted them off.**

_**Vegeta, Kakorot, Raditz, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Daimoa… no…**_

**I fell to my knees, in my rash act of slapping away the Ki ball, I had hit someone. The tears started to fall as I got back up and walked over. No one seemed to sense what had happened yet, not even Katrin, until I stood right before the fallen form of the Emperor.**

"**How could I let this happen?" I asked aloud. I fell to my knees and could only stare. The eyes of the others fell to my gaze. Katrin screamed.**

"**No! No! Cell! Cell, get up, no!" she fell to her knees, holding herself as I turned back to Cell.**

"**It's my fault… it's my fault… I let him die again…" the tears blurred my eyes and ran down onto my chest. There was a hole right in the middle of Cell's chest, where the heart would be.**

'**_He doesn't have to die…'_ a voice said.**

"**Cell!" I felt her power fluctuate. At this rate she could blow up the planet unintentionally. But in my own grief Katrin was only a side note.**

"**Why isn't his body regenerating?" I asked, ready for anyone to answer.**

"**I don't know…" King Vegeta said, staring at me as I faced him.**

"**Perhaps…" Raditz began. He was the scientist, and one of earth's rulers. He'd know, "He wasn't strong enough to regenerate from a wound like that." Everyone was quiet except for Katrin, she was howling and screaming.**

_**We both loved him, but I'm dealing with it better.**_

**I thought as I got up and walked to her.**

**_Cell in my universe was much stronger when he did the regeneration at the Cell games… this one wasn't strong enough… he hadn't absorbed so many people before he got 17 and 18… and he didn't fight against SSJ2 Gohan… and he hasn't fully recovered from the Ki-sucker…_**

**I got to Katrin. Her tears were flying off her face as she thrashed about. I grabbed her and pulled her close, into a hug.**

"**Let me go! You killed him! You killed him!" she started to calm down, but continued to beat against me, "You… you… I killed him. I killed Cell…" she was crying now, and together we slipped to the ground. As I held her, she decided to hold me too.**

"**It will be okay. I've lost my mate twice before, and I've lost my children. By the grace of the Kais I got mine back when I defeated the evil that killed them."**

"**I couldn't let him know… I couldn't let anyone know… I hear things, he knew that… they told me that love was okay… but I couldn't let anyone know that I… I…"**

"**Care? Its okay, Katrin. Love isn't weakness, no matter what. King Lios did some awful things to you, but you can leave that in the past. Look to the future, restore the universe. Don't rule like a tyrant, rule like a caring person that I know you can be."**

"**I can't do it without him… he's the only thing…"**

"**Shh… I know. I lost my Cell, but I won't let you lose yours."**

**Without any warning her Angel powers faded away. She became mortal again. I held on to mine, I wasn't done yet.**

**I held her a bit longer, letting her calm down. I knew a few minutes wouldn't be enough, but it was all I could give her for now.**

"**Vegeta, take her." I called. He looked shocked, but I could see the same heart behind his dark eyes that my Vegeta had for me. They had a similar bond. He came over and held her as she continued to cry. I walked over to Cell.**

"**Haven't you done enough damage?" Dark Gohan asked, stepping between me and Cell's body. Katrin's power level erupted to incredible heights, blowing King Vegeta away. She needed Cell.**

"**Let me pass. I'm going to help." I said, pushing Gohan out of the way.**

**I knelt down and placed my hands over the wound. His thick purple and green blood oozed onto my hands as I pressed onto the hole.**

_**Please, let some of my gift from the gods pass to him… let him live!**_

**I started to give him my life energy. Cell once told me that I was immortal in this form, that Roxx couldn't kill me, that I had control over life itself. If I could will myself to return to life back then, surely I could pass that on to others. So I passed, pushed my Ki into his body. Willing him to regenerate once more. The perfect android would live again. It was too late for Gohan, his body faded from this plain, and hopefully back to our Otherworld so he could be restored by Purunga.**

**I kept pushing, and I sensed his Ki returning to normal levels. I kept at it as it became higher and higher. He opened his eyes, and the closest darklings sighed in relief and joy.**

**Cell sat up and saw the blood on my hands. He looked to his self and saw the drying blood on his chest.**

"**Did I just… die?" he asked.**

"**Almost, but I couldn't lose you again." I said, hugging him. I pulled back from the confused android, "Go on, there's an Empress who needs her dragonfly back." I said. He stood up, a little shaky at first, and walked toward her. In a way, I felt like I was losing him again. We wouldn't go home together happily ever after, but he and Katrin would, and as long as he was happy, I was happy. Cell told me that after my trial.**

**King Vegeta stood up and backed away. Katrin held herself until Cell took his tail and lifted her chin up to meet with his eyes.**

"**Cell?" she jumped up and grabbed him like she'd lose him again, "You were dead! Your heart… you weren't breathing…"**

"**Breathing is over rated, my love."**

**I felt my heart break as they kissed. I didn't know if I was happy or sad or angry, but it was the right thing to do. I felt my Angel Sayjin form fade away. I guess I was done.**

"_**Light and darkness have embraced… both are equal… both no longer feel damned… the universes are no longer in danger…"**_

**I looked and saw the others were trying to find the mystery voice, so it wasn't just me.**

"**That sounded like… Goldeer." I said, still looking about.**

"**The father? But… I thought…" King Vegeta was at a loss for words. Most of us were, "How do you know his voice?"**

"**I… met him, to get my Angel powers back. I met all of the Vegetian gods." I said, scratching the back of my head. Now that Katrin wasn't on a rampage, the others were calmer as well.**

**I looked over to Cell and Katrin. Katrin was crying and Cell just held her. Our eyes met, and his smile showed his appreciation.**

_**You don't have to thank me… we're equal now…**_

**Cell had saved my life, both this Cell and the one from home, and now, at least, I could save him. I couldn't same my _Teela-h'reth_ before, but I could now. My heart still felt heavy though as I watched.**

"**So… what are you going to do now?" it was Kakorot who came to talk to me first out of all the darklings.**

"**Go home, I guess. Your cousin will be fine now, I can see that."**

"**How do you know?" Raditz asked.**

"**I know like I know your childhood nickname was radish-head. Didn't Nappa call you that?"**

"**I haven't heard that in a long time." Raditz laughed. I walked over to Katrin and Cell. Katrin looked at me with a tearful smile.**

"**I… I don't know what to say. Thank you isn't enough. You've shown me what really matters to me. My son… I can't get him back, and I can't steal someone else's to replace the pain. I have to get over the pain another way."**

"**I know you can do it. You need to let your people know you've changed. I want you to rule the universe, sister, but not as a tyrant. Rule like you use to before you lost your child."**

"**I will. This seems to be ending too quickly for my liking, but you have to get your family and return home. The longer you remain in this universe, the more damage it will cause."**

"**Just promise me you'll be a good ruler again. Someone I know wanted me to give you this back." I took off the pendant and handed it out to her.**

"**My angel pendant." She said as she took it from me. She held it out like she had found a lost treasure, "My uncle… where is he?"**

"**I don't know, but I think he's still on the planet. Talk to him. I bet he'd like to see his sons as well."**

"**It won't be easy cleaning up all of this." Cell said.**

"**I have to fix it, I don't have a choice." Katrin said.**

"**I couldn't have said it better."**

**Cell and Katrin caught each other's eye, and before I knew it, a fairy-tale ending kiss was taking place. My heart felt much heavier as I watched the kiss. But I reminded myself that they were in love, and that I was only a visitor here. I helped the love grow stronger.**

**Cell turned to me and kissed me on the forehead then.**

"**Thank you, Katie. You saved my mate. You saved us all."**

**I turned and faced the group. They weren't my family, but yet they were. They seemed to want to thank me, but they didn't know how. I nodded to them in understanding, and then I turned to Katrin and Cell one last time.**

"**I'm going now. There isn't anything else I can do here."**

"**Good luck in your universe, Katie." Katrin said. I smiled and nodded, then I teleported to the rebel base.**


	40. Love

**Chapter 40: Love**

**When I got to the rebel base everything was quiet. I walked into the middle of the camp. The foggy air of early morning shrouded the land.**

_**Did I really fight all through the night? No wonder I'm exhausted.**_

**I walked up to Tien's tent and found that he was awake and leaning on his 'conference' table, a.k.a. the ping-pong table. Both of his normal eyes were closed, but his third eye was wide open.**

_**Does that eye even blink?**_

"**Hello, Katie. Sorry there was no welcome party." Tien said as he sat up straight, opening his eyes.**

"**That's okay, I'm too tired to party."**

"**Then tell me this before I let you go to bed. Did you win? Is she dead?"**

"**I defeated her, but she is alive. I couldn't kill her."**

"**Why? Was she too powerful? Is the Angel power really immortal?"**

"**I couldn't kill her because too many people love her."**

"**I see… but everything's okay now?" I nodded, too tired to even talk, "Was it fun?" Tien asked, smirking. I returned the smirk.**

"**The most fun I've had in a long time… I needed it."**

"**You still love him, don't you?" Tien asked. I knew exactly who and what he meant.**

"**I miss him so much, and it seems as soon as I'm able to get over him… something new like this happens. Cell was my best friend… but I was so stupid to that fact… I didn't think… he was evil, right? How could someone who is evil be my friend? I found that out the hard way when he protected me and died for me… but, he's with his mate, and he's emperor of the universe. He isn't evil…"**

"**Do you really believe that a life with Cell would have been better than the life you live now?"**

"**No, I don't. But I still love him, and I wish with all my heart I could have him back."**

"**Thus is the lot of we mere mortals… to want what we can never have." Tien said. His eyes narrow, "But you gave us something back we thought we could never have again."**

"**What's that?" I asked.**

"**Hope… a life. With Empress Katrin back to her good old self, things will get better. Those days before were so pure…"**

"**I'm glad I was able to help." _Goku would be proud… but did I do it for Goku, Cell, or myself?_**

"**I'll walk you to your tent. You look like you could use some rest."**

"**Thanks, Tien." He got up and left the tent. I stood and stared down at the Vegetian map for a moment, and then I followed after him.**

_**I've traveled earth, Namek, and now Planet Vegeta. I've saved the people from these worlds… but why did I do it? Because it was right, or because I thought someone else thinks I should?**_

_**Did I do what I felt was right? Should I have killed her and let it end like that? No… killing is never a good option, even when it's the only one. But is this my thought, or a thought from Goku?**_

_**What am I doing?**_

**Maybe I was just tired, or maybe it made sense, but either way, sleep would help me clear me head. Tien stopped in front of a tent and smirked.**

"**You sure did do a number on your mate, huh?"**

"**Katrin hurt his arm, I just knocked him out."**

"**I'm… sorry about Gohan."**

"**We can get him back when we go home. We have our ways." I said, opening the flap.**

"**I'm sure you do."**

**I slipped into the tent, only to be strangled by the pink-eyed boy that was my whole reasoning for coming to this dimension in the first place. His arms were so tight around my neck at first I thought I was really under attack.**

"**Mom! I knew you could do it!" he was excited, but he kept his voice low as I hugged him back. Mirai was still asleep on a bunk.**

"**Codie, are you okay? No one hurt you, did they?" I asked.**

"**No, I was treated like a prince the whole time." He said once we broke off the hug.**

"**Good. Once your dad wakes up we'll go home-"**

"**Mom?" Codie looked serious as he called my name, interrupting what I was about to say. He was looking toward the wall as he thought.**

"**What is it, Codie?"**

"**Uh… I, I want to… I want to see Cell again before we go home. Can I?"**

**Codie turned to face me. His eyes were full of hope and curiosity.**

"**Codie… you know I will, but why?"**

"**Think about it, mom. He's the closest thing to a father-" he stopped and looked at Mirai, "Dad is great, but Cell is my biological father, I guess."**

"**I get it. Alright, we'll go tomorrow, after I've rested some."**

"**Tomorrow?" he whined, and I had to hold in laughter, "What am I supposed to do until tomorrow?"**

"**You could always train." I said. He frowned at that, "What's that for?"**

"**There isn't anyone around here strong enough for me to train with."**

"**Oh… for a second there I thought you were sick or something. You're just like your grandpa Vegeta, you know."**

"**Is that a good thing?" again, I had to keep from laughing.**

"**You could tame an Ayokii. I've got it all worked out, we're taking a small group home with us." I said.**

"**Really? Why?"**

"**They went extinct because of Frieza… and I know Vegeta use to ride as a kid. I bet it would give him something to do when he isn't training."**

"**Grandpa stops training? When's that?" again, laughter was repressed.**

"**Are you trying to be funny?"**

"**What'd I say?" he was completely honest with that statement.**

"**I guess not. It's obvious that you're Goku's cousin as well." I sighed.**

"**Get some rest, mom. You look awful."**

"**Ah, thanks!" I said sarcastically. He left and I saw him head toward the Ayokii corral. I turned back to Mirai, still asleep.**

_**Maybe we've just been too busy to love each other like we did as kids… but that still doesn't mean we don't love each other. **_

"**I love you, Mirai no Trunks."**

_**With all my heart and soul…**_

**I climbed into the bed next to him and snuggled closer to his back. He reacted and rolled over, so I put my head on his chest and snuggled in closer.**

_**For now, I can finally rest. For tomorrow, one last meeting with the dragonfly that once held my heart prisoner… I should write that one down…**_

_**I know now… I did it for love… so what if I was trying to be a bit like Goku or Vegeta, I still did it because I wanted to… for his love…**_

**XxX**

**When the warm body next to me suddenly grew cold, I opened my eyes. Mirai was trying to sneak away without waking me. I can say this about the Sayjin men, they cannot sneak.**

"**Mirai, where are you going?" I asked, still have asleep.**

"**I didn't want to wake you, so I was going to ask Tien or Codie what happened." He said.**

"**I defeated her, but I couldn't kill her." I said, sitting up, wide awake.**

"**I see… it sounds as though there was more."**

"**Cell almost died… he had a wound similar to Gohan's, but he wasn't strong enough to regenerate. Somehow I was able to save him."**

"**You saved him but not Gohan!" Mirai screamed, "How could you?"**

"**Mirai…" I was at a lost. Mirai and I had never had a fight before, and I didn't know how to explain myself.**

"**Katie, how could you save the enemy but not Gohan? He was your cousin!"**

"**Mirai No Trunks, don't you dare! I love Gohan! Or didn't you see me freeze when I heard that he was hurt?"**

"**Sorry, but bleeding to death kind of makes you lose track of things like that!" he screamed.**

"**I don't know why, I just knew I could save Cell and I knew I couldn't save Gohan. I would have done anything to save both of them, but I couldn't! And you know what? If I had to choose I'd save Cell again. Do you know why? Because I know, somehow I know that we can restore Gohan when we return home. We couldn't restore Cell."**

"**Do you love him?"**

"**I love them both. Don't ask me that again." I sneered.**

"**You've doubted our relationship lately, haven't you?"**

"**No, I haven't. I love you with all my heart and soul."**

"**How can I be sure you aren't just saying that?"**

**I stepped up and kissed him, pulling him closer. I put my hands on his neck and held on as I deepened the kiss even more.**

"**Does that answer your question?"**

"**Does it ever…"**

**I laughed, and Mirai laughed.**

"**I'm glad that's settled. Pick out your own Ayokii, we're taking some home. Tien and I already worked out the details."**

"**Really? But-"**

"**Capsule Corp. has tons of space. Your grandpa kept all kinds of animals, remember? Now that space is just space."**

"**But can we? I mean, the vortex-"**

"**I had a feeling before the vortex opened up. I asked Elder Kai, he said it shouldn't be a problem for animals, only sentient beings like us. Weird, huh?"**

"**Codie said something about visiting Katrin and Cell again?"**

"**Yeah, he wants to talk to Cell once more. You get that, don't you? You never knew your dad-"**

"**I get it." Mirai said.**

**XxX**

**So here we were, Mirai, Codie, and I, riding our Vegetian equine animals to the castle. I was still exhausted, and afraid of what would happen if I tried to teleport, and Ayokii/Mirna are much faster than flying (untransformed) Sayjins.**

**The castle once more was in view, and this time it didn't seem as foreboding. This time I sensed good Ki from it. Whatever I did, it seemed to be good. We rode right up to the gate and it was Raditz who greeted us.**

"**The emperor sensed you were coming, cousin. Why are you back so soon?" Raditz was always frank, even now and here.**

"**My son wants to see Cell once more. I was hoping that I could talk to the empress as well."**

"**We'll have to see, the empress is resting from your battle still. But I'm sure Cell would be glad to see that you haven't left yet."**

"**Thanks Raditz." I said as we dismounted our Ayokii/Mirna. A guard came and led the animals to a stable as we entered the gates.**

**I had never been to the castle technically, only near it when I fought. The actually castle was a mix of Sayjin, Namekian, and Icejin styles that I could recognize. For example, the basic shape for the castle seemed Sayjin, but the towers were Icejin, and the surrounding chambers before the main entrance had that rounded form of the Namekian architecture.**

**We didn't go far inside the main entrance before Cell came to greet us. Codie stood to the side, behind me a little, like a shy little kid. It reminded me of the time Goten first met Goku, and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face.**

"**Hello friends, why back so soon? I thought you'd be home by now, not that this isn't a decent surprise. I'm afraid any time we spend today must be short, we have much work to do to restore our kingdom to its former glory."**

_**Cell's trying to avoid me for some reason. He hasn't even looked at me yet… I wonder…**_

"**Well, Codie wanted to-"**

"**I wanted to speak to you again, Cell." Codie said, interrupting me, "I want to know more about you. You are the closest person to me there can biologically be." I saw Mirai's eyes droop when Codie said that.**

"**I see. Well, come then, we shall have lunch. All of us. Bende?" a Namekian male, not much older than Codie, stepped up, "Show our guests to the dining room."**

"**Actually, could I speak to you alone for a moment, Cell?" I asked. I knew this would make Mirai nervous, but I had to speak to Cell, just the two of us once more. Cell looked confused.**

"**Yes, I suppose so." Mirai and Codie followed Bende to the dining room as Cell started walking. I followed him.**

"**You know this is very awkward." Cell said.**

"**Yeah, I know." I replied.**

"**Katrin has almost completely reverted back to her old self. She's kind… loving. She went to the nursery for the first time in years this morning."**

"**I'm glad."**

"**The voice… it was him. The baby. She felt guilty over his death and imagined it was her fault, so these voices started. A few were doppelgangers, and the one that scared her most was the voice of our son. He was trying to tell her love was okay this entire time."**

"**But they've all stopped now?"**

"**Yes, they're all gone. I made sure of that. You won't recognize her when you see her."**

"**What do you mean, you made sure of that?"**

"**Oh, think Katie! My tail? The souls?"**

"**Oh… yeah… but how'd you know I knew that?"**

"**You admire me so, how couldn't you know?" he smirked.**

"**You've got a point there." I said, "Cell, I know you're not the same Cell that… well, I guess I grew up with is the best way to put this." I stopped as I started my statement again, "You're not the Cell I grew up with, but I still consider you a good friend. Before we got back to our lives, there is something we need to do."**

"**Yes, I've sensed it all along. The only way we can really say goodbye."**

**I reached up and grabbed behind his neck, and at the same time he lifted me off the floor with his tail. (Remember, Cell is about a head taller than me easily.) We kissed, and then when we pulled away, it was just weird.**

"**I guess that settles it. We have someone else in our lives. We love each other, though, right?"**

"**Yes, we're just not in love with each other." Cell agreed.**

"**See, I knew you'd get the hang of this love stuff." I said, playfully smacking his arm as we continued our walk.**

"**So… now what happens?" Cell asked.**

"**We go home, and you fix your universe with Katrin. That's all that can be done." I sighed.**

"**You're still going to miss me, aren't you?"**

"**Yes, both you and my friend from my universe. It seems like… I already told Tien this, but it seems like every time my life goes back to normal and I can get past your- Cell's death, something happens. First it was Codie's birth… then I found out Cell's evil half was still alive in HFIL… and now this."**

"**I'm sure one day you'll be allowed to move on."**

"**Yeah…"**

**XxX**

**When Codie and Cell finally had their own private talk, I had to listen in, telepathically of course, and for only a moment.**

"**Cell… what was it like… growing up and knowing so much information already?"**

"**Well, for me it was good. I didn't have to get an education."**

"**For me… my classes, even the really hard ones, are just too easy. Mom thinks I'm studying all the time when really I'm reading advanced college material and getting bored."**

**I heard Cell laugh.**

"**I guess it would be harder when you know it already."**

"**I just… sometimes I get a lower grade on purpose so people think I'm normal. I pretend to struggle in calculus… but I get it so easily."**

"**Don't do that. Don't ever put yourself down like that. Think of it like… a fight. You wouldn't hold back in a fight, right?"**

"**Normally… no."**

**I stopped listening after that. I had suspicions that Codie held back at school, but I never said anything.**

_**My son… just like his father… he is Cell… and I couldn't be more proud…**_

**I turned my attention away from the guys and came face to face with my counterpart. I had hated her so much, but seeing her now made me think, why?**

"**Uh… hi." She said. She was dressed in white armor and golden spandex. Her hair was nice and neat, tied into a long braid.**

"**Hi." I replied. I noticed that she was wearing a crest similar to the royal Sayjin crest King Vegeta was wearing.**

"**I don't get it… why did you…" she didn't know what to say.**

"**Don't worry about it. I've been there and back. In fact, I was worse."**

"**No one could have been worse than me, no matter what universe they live in." she said, turning away.**

"**Oh yeah? Did you want to taste the blood of your closest friends? Did you kill thousands of people for no reason at all, not even a bad reason? Did you let loose a creature that killed you family and your planet?"**

"**No… but how could you? Your family-"**

"**Let's leave it at magic, okay? Magic restored everything."**

"**I see… you saved us all, Katie. You saved my mate from Oozark's tombs and you… well, you helped me see the light." She shrugged, "I stole your son, sentenced you to jail, crippled you mate and killed your Gohan. Yet when it came to the point where you could have killed me… you didn't."**

"**I told you, when Kakorot and Raditz and all the others called out, I couldn't go through with it. Love wouldn't let me do it."**

"**I've pushed away and denied love for so long that Cell even forgot what love was… yet love saved us all in the end."**

"**Yeah, it did."**

"**Will your magic be able to restore Gohan?"**

"**I believe so. I hope so."**

"**You're welcome to stay here tonight, and we'll see you off tomorrow."**

"**Thanks. That would give our Cell's time to talk more."**

"**I want to show you something before you return to your mate tonight. Follow me." She headed down another hallway as I followed. We remained silent as we walked. I noticed how similar these halls were compared to the ones in Frieza's castle.**

**She stopped in front of a large window, and being so deep in thought I nearly didn't notice until the sound of crying stirred me from my thoughts.**

"**This is the nursery. Even though I haven't been able to bring myself here, I kept it running. All of these children are orphaned. Part of my plan to restore the universe is to adopt all those children you see in there."**

**I looked, and it wasn't just Sayjin children in the nursery. All together there were ten kids. Five were Sayjin, two were Namekian, two were Icejin, and one was human.**

"**All ten?" I asked.**

"**Yes. You know Cell and I can't have children… this way maybe I can see past that. I'd still have kids, right? They're all orphans, and it's my fault, one way or another."**

"**Good luck with so many. I thought it was hard raising three, especially with Vegeta's and Kakorot's genes mixed in. And, of course, Cell."**

"**I've wanted to be a mother for so long, I think I can handle it." Katrin smiled, and I felt happy for her. She was back to her old self, and it was just as good as I had heard.**

_**When she's bad, she was worse than me… when she is good, she is better than me… I guess that's why we're opposite…**_

**AS22: Aww… I guess that proves it.**

**Katie/Mirai: (kissing) We knew it all along.**

**Cell: …**

**Katrin: come on, Cell. We've got work to do.**

**Cell: yeah… let's go (kisses Katrin)**

**AS22: one more chapter, so R&R!**


	41. Home

**AS22: Last one, here we go! R&R!**

**Chapter 41: Ayokii, Mirna, Home, and a Food Fight**

**3rd P.O.V.**

**Our dimension**

**Vegeta stood, staring into space as the sun rose again. 2 days had gone by since he sensed the Angel powers, and so far nothing had happened.**

**Trunks and Goten, like any teenage boys, were growing bored.**

"**So Goten… did you watch that episode of Phoenix Crystals Q last night?" Trunks asked.**

"**Yeah, I did. Why did they have Cho stand there and power up his Phoenix Fist the entire time? It got dull!" Goten whined.**

"**Yeah, but they had Tokito fight the monster." Trunks said.**

"**So? All Tokito does is complain about Cho being stronger and he tries to prove himself too much."**

"**At least he seems more realistic than Cho. I mean, come on, Cho is the strongest fighter in the universe, but frogs scare him? And what's up with Cho always saving the earth or whatever? It seems like no one else could ever fight without big bad Cho!"**

"**You're just jealous."**

**Vegeta couldn't help but smirk at the boys, even though they were getting annoying. It reminded him of the show Katrin referred to when she knew the future. And the ironic thing was Katrin couldn't stand to watch Phoenix Crystal Q.**

**Then Vegeta realized that this meant Kakorot was like the character Cho and he was like Tokito.**

"**Would you two shut up? I think I can sense Katrin and Mirai."**

**It wasn't just a lie so the boys would stop arguing, he really did sense them. When Trunks and Goten stopped arguing they sensed it too.**

**All three stood close to where the vortex was last seen. They felt three Kis and knew something was wrong. They remained silent as ten large figures came seemingly out of thin air.**

**1st P.O.V.**

**When Yael P'reel and I came through the vortex, I saw Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks waiting for us. Vegeta's jaw dropped for a second as the Ayokii followed us out of the vortex.**

"**By the Vegetian gods… Ayokii… and is that a Mirna?" Vegeta said. I nodded as I dismounted my Mirna. Vegeta walked over in awe of the creatures as he patted my Mirna's neck.**

"**We decided to bring home some souvenirs. We'll keep them at Capsule Corp. Just think Prince, you'll get to ride once more." I said.**

"**I was just thinking about my Ayokii three nights ago."**

"**Katie… where's my brother?" Goten asked. I lowered my eyes, trying to think out how to say it.**

"**Goten… we'll bring him back with the Dragonballs, don't worry." I said, placing my hand onto his shoulder. I gave him a squeeze before I turned to help Mirai dismount.**

"**I'll kill that witch… did she do that too? And that?" Vegeta was referring to Mirai's arm and my scratched face.**

"**You don't have to worry about her, Vegeta. It's taken care of, I assure you. Why don't we get these Ayokii to Capsule Corp? Then we can go to new Namek and I'll tell everyone what happened." I said, looking to the sky.**

**XxX**

**So, when did all the before mentioned things. I spoke the Namekian words for the following wishes.**

**1. Bring Son Gohan back to life.**

**2. Restore Mirai's arm.**

**3. Seal the barrier so no more disasters like this ever happen again.**

**Everything went back to normal, and here's what's so normal.**

**First, we have the Ayokii. Codie, Vegeta, and I ride all the time. For some reason Mirai doesn't really like to ride. Gohan told me that was because when he tried to ride one back on Planet Vegeta it threw him into the river and covered him in mud.**

**Next, I've noticed Codie's grades jump from a 3.5 to a 4.0 almost immediately. And he doesn't try to act like he's always studying.**

**And then, of course, something I can't leave out: the celebration of our return. Bulma loves to throw parties.**

**We were eating a nice dinner outside, like a picnic or something. It was the entire Sayjin family. Trunks and Pan have finally let the cat out of the bag. But anyway, so we were outside and Bulma and Vegeta got into another argument.**

"**Vegeta, you said you would teach me how to ride one of those horsy-things!"**

"**Maybe I would if you would at least call them by their proper name!" Vegeta said rather calmly.**

"**What does it matter!" Bulma screamed.**

**A side note, the table settings: Vegeta was at the end the table. Bulma was to his right. Next to her was Chi-chi, then Gohan, Pan, Trunks, then Goten was at the other end, then it was me, Gohan, Mirai, Kanji, Videl, Andy, and last, Codie.**

**Anyway, so Bulma and Vegeta were arguing over the Ayokii…**

"**Katrin, will you please explain to the woman that Ayokii are very intelligent and know when someone is talking about them?" Vegeta growled.**

"**Oh no, I'm not getting involved."**

**Bulma stuck out her tongue at Vegeta, and in anger he hit the table. When this happened, a slightly loose board broke free and set the potato salad into the air. Being so agile, I grabbed it and saved it, but I didn't see the baked beans that had also gone air born, and the bowl landed upside down on my head. I was covered in beans.**

**Well, I was going to leave it at that. My plan was to be rational, go inside, clean up, and come back outside. But then my foolish son Kanji decided to laugh out loud so hard he fell out of his seat. This caused others to laugh.**

"**Oh Kanji dear?" I asked too nicely. He was laughing so hard he didn't notice my tone, but Codie and Goten did and they ducked.**

"**Yes… mom?" he asked through his laughter as he climbed into his seat. I slung the bowl of potato salad at him, but he saw it and ducked, covering Vegeta in potatoes.**

**I knew this would go one of two ways; either Vegeta would blow up the planet, or the next person to laugh would get covered in food. Luckily it was the latter, and the victim was Gohan. He was covered in BBQ sauce.**

**And that's how the food fight started. One thing lead to another, and well, somehow even Supreme Kai got covered in food. He was just going to pop in to see if the Ayokii were okay, seeing as they were suppose to be extinct and all. He got a banana-cream pie to the side of the head.**

**And on that note, see ya!**

**The end**

**AS22: Look for _The End of a Destiny_, coming soon! R&R!**


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